Vermin Focus (Su)
Source: Advanced Class Guide, p. 98
Replaces: Animal Focus
A verminous hunter can take on the aspect of a vermin. This ability functions as animal focus, but allows only the following choices.
Ant: The creature gains a +2 enhancement bonus to Strength. This bonus increases to +4 at 8th level and +6 at 15th level.
Beetle: The creature gains a +2 enhancement bonus to its natural armor bonus. This bonus increases to +4 at 8th level and +6 at 15th level. (A creature without natural armor has an effective natural armor bonus of +0.)
Centipede: The creature gains a +2 competence bonus on Climb checks and a +2 bonus to CMD against pull, push, reposition, and trip combat maneuvers. These bonuses increase to +4 at 8th level and +6 at 15th level.
Cockroach: The creature gains a +4 bonus on saves against cold dangers, disease, heat dangers, starvation, and thirst, and on Constitution checks to avoid suffocation. These bonuses increase to +6 at 8th level and +8 at 15th level.
Crab: The creature gains a +4 competence bonus on Swim checks and a +2 competence bonus on grapple combat maneuver checks. These bonuses increase to +6 and +4 respectively at 8th level, and +8 and +6 at 15th level.
Flea: The creature gains a +4 competence bonus on saves against disease and on Acrobatics checks to jump. These bonuses increase to +6 at 8th level and +8 at 15th level.
Fly: The creature gains a +2 bonus on Perception checks and on Acrobatics checks to balance or fall safely. These bonuses increase to +4 at 8th level and +6 at 15th level.
Leech: The creature gains a +2 competence bonus on grapple combat maneuver checks, and deals 1 point of bleed damage every time it succeeds at a grapple combat maneuver check to damage an opponent. These benefits increase to a +4 bonus and 3 points of bleed damage at 8th level, and a +6 bonus and 5 points of bleed damage at 15th level. Bleed damage from this ability does not stack with itself.
Mantis: The creature gains a +2 bonus on attacks of opportunity and a +2 competence bonus on grapple combat maneuver checks. These bonuses increase to +4 at 8th level and +6 at 15th level.
Moth: The creature gains darkvision to a range of 60 feet. At 8th level, the range increases by 30 feet. At 15th level, the creature gains blindsense to a range of 10 feet.
Phasmid: The creature gains low-light vision and a +4 competence bonus on Stealth checks in forests or plains. This bonus increases to +6 at 8th level and +8 at 15th level.
Scorpion: The creature gains a +2 competence bonus on Stealth checks and on grapple combat maneuver checks. These bonuses increase to +6 and +4 respectively at 8th level, and to +8 and +6 at 15th level.
Spider: The creature gains a +2 competence bonus on Stealth checks, saving throws against web effects (magical or otherwise), and checks to break free of webs. This bonus increases to +4 at 8th level and +6 at 15th level.
Wasp: The creature gains a +4 competence bonus on Perception checks. This bonus increases to +6 at 8th level and +8 at 15th level.
Worm: The creature gains a 25% chance to treat any critical hit or sneak attack as a normal hit (as the fortification armor special ability). This chance increases to 50% at 8th level, and 75% at 15th level.
This ability replaces animal focus. Swarm Stride (Ex): At 5th level, a verminous hunter learns to move through vermin without danger. He can safely pass through swarms of vermin and does not take swarm damage while within a vermin swarm’s space. In addition, he is immune to a swarm’s distraction ability. If the hunter or his animal companion attacks a swarm, they lose this protection against that swarm only. This ability replaces woodland stride. Archetypes 2