Alignment

Neutral (NG, LN, N, CN, NE)

Armor

Note that only armor and shields made of organic materials can meld into the character's animal form. Metallic armor drops off when the animagus changes form.

Class skills

Concentration, Perception, Spellcraft, Knowledge (nature), Profession (healing, household, livestock, wilderness)

Low-light vision (Ex)

The character's eyes become so sensitive to light that he can see twice as far as normal in dim light. Low-light vision is color vision. The character can see enough to read as long as even the tiniest candle flame is next to him as a source of light.

The character can see outdoors on a moonlit night as well as he can during the day.

Scent (Ex)

The character can detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell.

The Animagus can detect opponents by sense of smell, generally within 30 feet. If the opponent is upwind, the range is 60 feet. If it is downwind, the range is 15 feet. Strong scents, such as smoke or rotting garbage, can be detected at twice the ranges noted above. Overpowering scents, such as skunk musk or troglodyte stench, can be detected at three times these ranges.

The character detects another creature's presence but not its specific location. Noting the direction of the scent is a move action. If he moves within 5 ft of the scent's source, the character can pinpoint that source. The character can identify familiar odors just as easily as familiar sights.

If the character has the Track feat he can follow tracks by smell, making a Wisdom check to find or follow a track. The typical DC for a fresh trail is 10. The DC increases or decreases depending on how strong the quarry’s odor is, the number of creatures, and the age of the trail. For each hour that the trail is cold, the DC increases by 2. The ability otherwise follows the rules for the Track feat. Tracking by scent ignores the effects of surface conditions and poor visibility. Water, particularly running water, ruins a trail.

False, powerful odors can easily mask other scents. The presence of such an odor completely spoils the ability to properly detect or identify creatures, and the base Survival DC to track becomes 20 rather than 10.

Animal Shape (Su)

The character selects one familiar animal of Medium size (or his own size if not medium). He can thereafter turn himself into that particular animal and back again, as well as communicate with animals of the same general category even in his true form (no concentration necessary). The animal form is always the same individual which resembles the character in relative size, gender, age, and basic coloration. Animagi often select animals that match their personality or philosophy.

The character gains the ability to take the shape of a Small animal at 8th level and Large animal at 11th level, at which times individual forms must again be selected. At these times, the character may also change one of his previously chosen forms.

This ability functions like the alternate form special ability, except as noted here. The effect lasts for 1 hour per Animagus level, or until he changes back. Changing form (to animal or back) is a standard action and doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity. At 14th level the Animagus can change form as a move action. Each time the character uses animal shape, he regains lost hit points as if he had rested for a night.

Most gear worn or carried melds into the new form and becomes nonfunctional. However, any significant quantity of metal (metal armor and shield, possibly also other items such as large amount of metallic treasure, at the DM's discretion) falls off. When the character reverts to his true form, any objects previously melded into the new form reappear in the same location on his body that they previously occupied and are once again functional. Any new items worn in the assumed form fall off and land at the character's feet.

The character loses his ability to speak while in animal form because he is limited to the sounds that a normal, untrained animal can make. The appendages of the animal cannot be used to make somatic components of spells, either.