Instead of using their Nature Bond ability to acquire an Animal Companion or Domain. The druid has the option of enhancing their Wild Shape ability, thus granting their Wild Shape a handful of special features.

Class Features Modifications

Lose: Nature Bond Class Feature, Ability to cast spells while in Wild Shape form.

Druids with the Bonded Wild Shape variant gain the following class features:

Bonded Wild Shape
Starting at 1st level you are capable of using Beast Shape 1 At Will through your Wild Shape Class Feature.

The Plant Shape, Elemental Body, and remaining versions of Beast Shape are acquired as normal.

Example: Upon reaching level 6 you will acquire the ability to use Beast Shape 2 through your Wild Shape Class Feature as normal.

Instead of Uses Per Day, you gain Hours Per Day. This means that unlike the normal Wild Shape time limit which is consumed when a use per day ends. You are able to repeatedly use your Wild Shape until you've reached the time limit for that day.

Example: 10 mins + 50 mins + 30 mins + 30 mins = 2 Hours at level 6.

You are unable to cast spells while in a (Wild Shaped, Shifted or Polymorphed) form, even if you have the natural spell feat.

A Bonded Wild Shape druid is capable of taking on the shapes of Vermin. Add the following list of Vermin abilities to the appropriate Beast Shape levels.

Vermin Abilities
Beast Shape I
Malleable, Susceptible to Salt, Water Dependency, Pull (Filament), Luminescence, Flash Burst, Attach, Blood Drain, Poison 1/round for 2 rounds (1d2 Ability Type Damage), cure 1 save.

Beast Shape II
Lunge, Mandibles, Sudden Strike, Gnaw, Poison 1/round for 4 rounds (1d3 Ability Type Damage), cure 2 consecutive saves.

Beast Shape III
Poison 1/round for 6 rounds (1d4 Ability Type Damage), cure 3 consecutive saves.

Nature's Magic
Starting at 4th level you gain a magical enhancement bonus to your natural attacks equal to 1/4 your Druid level. This bonus functions like that of a normal magical weapon for the purposes of attack, damage, and bypassing damage reduction.

Quickened Shape
At 7th level your Wild Shape ability becomes a move action.

At 11th level your Wild Shape ability becomes a swift action.

Becoming Familiar with a Shape (optional)

In order to assume the shape of a creature you must be familiarized with that type of creature. Becoming familiar with the creature is done by studying its way of life. This is represented by a Knowledge check appropriate for the type of creature against DC 10 plus the creature's Challenge Rating. You must spend a total of 24 hours studying however, you may not study in periods less than 2 hours.

If you fail to succeed the Knowledge check after having studied, you may attempt to make another knowledge check at half the time requirement, after you have fully rested.

You are able to memorize a total amount of shapes equal to half your Druid level plus your Intelligence modifier, minimum one. You are capable of replacing previously learned shapes with new ones.

Example: Leila, a female Druid has spent three to four days studying the habits and general life of a squirrel family. She has accumulated at least 24 hours of time studying these animals and is now capable of taking their shape.

If Leila had failed to study these animals, she would need to have a full night's rest, and then study them for 12 hours, if she once again failed the check then she would require another full night's rest and only 6 hours of study the next day.

Author's Note: I would love if I could get comments on this. Please email me or message me on www.GaiaOnline.com (username: Insanity Logic).

Additional Ratings
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