I'm looking for a class that has Survival and ideally also Knowledge (nature) as class skills, to easily meet prerequisites for a prestige class (Weretouched Master). That's easy enough, but it would also be extremely convenient if the class was proficient in Heavy Armor, and I can't think of any that get all three.
Variant classes and Alternate Class Features are fine, but the character will be of the Shifter race, which rules out many Alternate Class Features.
The Marshal (from Miniatures Handbook Supplement) has all three: heavy armor proficiency, Survival as a class skill, and Knowledge as a class skill (you can pick the area, so you can pick Nature).
As an alternative, the Wanderer cleric (Dragon Magazine 353, p. 88) has both heavy armor proficiency and Survival as a class skill (which with a few other skills and the endurance feat, it replaces turn or rebuke undead). They lack the "ideally" requested knowledge (nature), however, you can get that from the Plant or Animal domain (credit to @From).
Cleric with Animal or Plant and Travel domains, first 2 give you knowledge nature, travel gives survival.
Now, can you find a deity that has those? Campaign dependent. Or you could just be a cleric without a deity, as per the srd you get to choose your domains then (alignment restrictions still apply)
Metal Master is a variant class from Dragon Magazine #311. A Metal Master is a Druid devoted to metal, mines and smithery rather than animals, plants and elements. They don’t have an animal companion nor do they get Wild Shape. Instead, they get more HP (d10) and damage reduction in later levels.
Unlike normal Druids a Metal Master may use all kinds of armor and gets heavy armor proficiency at first level. They also have Knowledge Nature and Survival as class skills.
Variant Paladin from Dragon Magazine #310. Both skills as well as heavy armor proficiency.
Incarnate
The incarnate is unique among the divine champions in that she does not serve a patron deity. Rather, she focuses her faith and belief in the philosophy of Balance, that the best of all possible worlds is both good and evil, both lawful and chaotic, all in equal balance. She receives her divine spells and abilities through her unwavering devotion to Balance. When one force becomes too powerful in a region, she fights to restore the balance, either by allying with the opposing force or fighting on her own. An overly lawful society that oppresses its populace is just as wrong in the incarnate's eyes as a society that collapses into anarchy and barbarism. Likewise, a creature that indiscriminately treats everything with kindness and understanding is just as offensive as one that kills and slaughters without remorse.
Incarnates are always neutral. They rarely have patron deities. Incarnates form into loosely knit groups to better protect the Balance. The meetings of these groups take place in large secular buildings or natural regions and often involve long debates about whether imbalance exists and how to best correct it. The non-aligned aspect of the natural world appeals to many incarnates, and most of them prefer to live in the wild. They enjoy the company of druids and often work with them to accomplish a common goal, but most such alliances eventually fall apart due to the incarnates' belief that civilization and the natural world must also find balance.
Variant Paladin from Dragon Magazine #310. The base variant gets heavy armor proficiency and survival.
Lion Legionnaire substitution levels from Champions of Valor adds knowledge (nature) as a class skill. Note that these (and knowledge (nature) as a class skill) are only available for levels 3, 4 and 5. (Thanks @KRyan)
Sentinel
The sentinel is a wandering crusader who often lives the life of a nomad, sleeping under the stars and taking what sustenance he can from the natural world. He does so in order to patrol the breadth of the world, constantly watching for incursions from the Lower Planes. The sentinel finds the endless hordes of demons, devils, and other fiends to be the most offensive and dangerous threat to life, and he has sacrificed much in order to become the perfect warrior, dedicated to preventing them from gaining any further hold on the world he loves.
To the sentinel, evil is simply that: evil. It can be hidden under a haze of entropy and chaos, it can masquerade under a hundred diabolically written laws, or it can revel in the truth of its cruelty. It makes no difference to the sentinel, nor do the methods he uses to combat it. Often, a sentinel uses the laws of the land and local governments to fight against incursions of evil, but just as often, he is forced to fight alone, against established tradition, and against the will of society. The fight against evil is treacherous though, for the sentinel must take care to protect that which is good and pure in the world, lest he become that which he loathes.
Sentinels are always neutral good. They usually worship good deities that have loosely organized churches. Sentinels form into loosely knit groups that rarely, if ever, physically meet. When they do meet. the meetings take place in large lodges and are both brief and to the point. Sentinels prefer to communicate with their kin via an elaborate network of trail glyphs and markers. They enjoy the company of druids and rangers, and they often work with members of those classes to accomplish a common goal.
Lion Legionnaire
The mighty wemic paladins of Nobanion are called the Legion of Lions; they are small in number but great in their bravery. Unlike most of Lord Firemane's wemic followers, they travel outside the Shaar in search of evil, and partly because of their efforts Nobanion's faith has attracted humanoid followers. Though most Lion Legionnaires are wemics, a small number are humanoids, and at least one lammasu is a member of this elite group. Rather than traditional paladin abilities, they develop powers relating to Nobanion's strengths and tactics.
