Animal Speaker

An animal speaker selects a particular kind of animal, such as apes, badgers, bears, boars, cats, snakes, and so on. The bard gains a +4 bonus on Handle Animal checks to influence animals of his chosen kind. Animals of this kind have a starting attitude of at least “indifferent” toward the bard and never attack him unless he attacks them first.

Animal companions and magically controlled animals can be directed to attack the bard if the controlling creature wins an opposed Charisma check against the bard (this check can be made once per round until it succeeds, after which no further checks are needed). Supernatural versions of animals (such as animals with the fiendish template) can attempt an opposed Charisma check against the bard with a +4 bonus on its roll to overcome this hesitation. This ability has no effect on creatures other than animals. This ability replaces fascinate.

At 5th, 11th, and 17th level, the animal speaker selects another kind of animal friend. The bard can use speak with animals at will on animals of his selected kinds. This ability replaces well-versed.

An animal speaker gains the following types of bardic performance.

At 1st level, the animal speaker adds summon nature's ally I to his bard spell list and bard spells known as a 1st-level spell. At 4th level (when he gains access to 2nd-level spells) he adds summon nature's ally II to his spell list and spells known as a 2nd-level spell, and so on every 3 levels thereafter, until 16th level when he adds summon nature's ally VI to his 6th-level spell list and spells known.