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View Full Version : The Hunter: Mage Hunting PrC [PEACH]



asdflove
2013-12-07, 09:40 PM
A class I've been sitting on a while, actually. First prestige class I ever made. Wow.


The Hunter

Hit Die
d8.

Requirements
To qualify to become a hunter, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.

Skills
Hide 8 ranks, Move Silently 8 ranks, and Survival 4 ranks

Special
Must not have levels in a class that grants spellcasting.

Class Skills
The hunter's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are, Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Tumble (Dex), and Use Rope (Dex).

Skill Points at Each Level
6 + Int modifier.

Table:The Hunter
Level BABFort Ref Will Special1st+0+2+2+2Spell resistance, spy magic2nd+1+3+3+3 Sneak attack +1d6, uncanny dodge, Track3rd+2+3+3+3Magebane +1/+1d6, evasion, spell turning 4th+3 +4 +4+4Sneak attack +2d6, disrupt casting 5th+3+4+4+4Counter magic, improved evasion, mettle6th+4+5+5+5Sneak attack +3d6, magebane +2/+2d6, seeker 7th+5+5+5+5Spellburn, improved mettle, daze caster 8th+6+6+6+6Sneak attack +4d6, hide in plain sight, twisted conjuration9th +6 +6+6+6 Magebane +3/+3d6, improved uncanny dodge, seeker 10th+7+7 +7+7Sneak attack +5d6, negate magic11th+8+7+7+7Nauseate caster12th+9+8+8+8Sneak attack +6d6, Magebane +4/+4d6, negate magic (20-ft)13th+9+8+8+8Stun caster14th+10+8+8+8Sneak attack +7d6, negate magic (30-ft)15th+11+9+9+9Exhaust caster, magebane +5/+5d6, shutdown caster

Class Features
All of the following are Class Features of the Hunter prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Hunters gain no new weapon or armor proficiency.

Spell Resistance (Ex)
Hunters are so adept at hunting spellcasters their attacks don't always affect him. He gains Spell Resistance 12 + his character level.

Spy Magic (Ex)
A hunter is so familiar with magic they can sense magic auras. They can use Detect Magic at will as a Extraordinary ability. This takes a full round action.

Sneak Attack
This is exactly like the rogue ability of the same name. The extra damage dealt increases by +1d6 every other level (2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th, 12th, and 14th). If a hunter gets a sneak attack bonus from another source the bonuses on damage stack.

Track
At level 2, a hunter gains Track as a bonus feat.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex)
Starting at 2nd level, a hunter retains their Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) regardless of being caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker (They still lose any Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized).
If a character gains uncanny dodge from a second class the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge (see below).

Magebane (Ex)
Starting at 3rd level a hunter is so adept at fighting spellcasters that they are stronger when fighting them specifically. When attacking spellcasters (That is to say anyone with levels in an arcane or divine spellcasting class), the hunters attack bonus is +1 higher than it would otherwise be. They also deal an extra 1d6 points of damage against spellcasters. At level 6, these bonuses increase to +2 and an extra 2d6 damage and they increase by an additional +1 and +1d6 every 3 levels thereafter.

Evasion (Ex)
At 3rd level and higher, a hunter can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If they make a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, they instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the hunter is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless hunter does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Spell Turning (Su)
Hunters of at least 3rd level are skilled enough at resisting spells that they can turn them back around at their casters. Thrice per day they can activate spell turning to turn 1d6+6 levels worth of spells, otherwise it functions exactly like the spell Spellturning.

Disrupt Casting (Ex)
At 4th level, a hunter learns how to disrupt spellcasters near them. Spellcasters they threaten cannot cast defensively, automatically failing their Concentration checks if they attempt to do so.

Counter Magic (Su)
At 5th level, a hunter can stop a spell as it is being cast. A number of times per day equal to their hunter level a hunter can, as an immediate action, attempt to counter a spell as it is being cast within 100 feet. To do this they must beat the caster of the spell in a dispel check with their caster level equal to their hunter level plus two (For information on dispel checks look at the spell entry for dispel magic).

Improved Evasion (Ex)
At 5th level a hunter gets improved Evasion. This ability works like evasion, except that while the hunter still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks henceforth they take only half damage on a failed save. A helpless hunter do not gain the benefit of improved evasion.

Mettle (Ex)
At 5th level and higher, a hunter can resist magical and unusual attacks with great willpower or fortitude. If he makes a successful Will or Fortitude save against an attack that normally would have a lesser effect on a successful save (such as any spell with a saving throw entry of Will half or Fortitude partial), they instead completely negate the effect. An unconscious or sleeping hunter does not gain the benefit of mettle.

Seeker (Ex)
As tricky as casters can be, they can't slip away from a hunter. Starting at level 6, hunters can spot the energy left behind by teleport effects and track them. While using their Spy Magic class feature, the hunter can also see the start point of any Teleportation effect that occurred within range in the past 14 days. They can also try and figure out where the other end of a teleport effect is. To do this requires them to be at the location they teleported from. This requires a DC 15 Survival check, Success grants them knowledge of where the location their quarry teleported to is in terms of direction and distance from the hunters current location.

Starting at level 9, the hunter can latch onto the energy of a teleportation effect to pursue their foes. By making a DC 20 (+2 for every hour old the teleport effect) Survival check, the hunter can teleport to the destination of the teleportation effect, bringing up to 200 pounds of objects/willing creatures. Making this check takes a full round action, and requires the hunter to be at the location the teleportation effect started.

Spellburn (Su)
At 7th level, a hunter can twist an enemy's spells against them. A number of times per day equal to their hunter level, a hunter can declare a given attack to be a spellburn attack (This declaration is a free action). If a spellburn attack hits a spellcaster, that caster loses a spell slot of the highest level they have available (if they are a spell point caster, they lose spell points equal to the amount required to cast the highest level spell they can. If they are a prepared caster the spell lost is chosen at random), and take extra damage equal to double the level of the spell slot lost (if they are a spell point caster, they take damage equal to the number of spell points they lost plus one). A spellcaster can make a fortitude save to halve the damage with a DC of 10+half the hunters level+the hunters Int modifier.

Improved Mettle (Ex)
At 7th level a hunter gets Improved Mettle. This ability works like mettle, except that while the hunter still takes no damage on a successful fortitude or will saving throw against attacks henceforth they take only half damage on a failed save. An unconscious or sleeping hunter does not gain the benefit of improved mettle.

Daze caster (Ex)
Thrice per day when making a spellburn attack, a hunter can also make it a daze attack. If their spellburn attack hits and does full damage, the caster is also dazed, as the condition, for 1d2 rounds.

Hide in Plain Sight (Su)
At 8th level, a hunter can use the Hide skill even while being observed. As long as he is within 10 feet of some sort of shadow, a hunter can hide himself from view in the open without having anything to actually hide behind. He cannot, however, hide in his own shadow.

Twisted conjuration (Su)
Though conjured things act as if they're not magic, a hunter of at least 8th level knows better. A number of times per day equal to half their hunter level (round up), a hunter can as a swift action revert any instantaneous conjuration back to it's magical components and send the energy back to the caster. It deals 1d6 damage per level of the spell to the caster who conjured it. They can make a fortitude save to halve the damage with a DC of 10+half the hunters level+the hunters Int modifier.

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex)
At 8th level, a hunter can no longer be flanked, since he can react to opponents on opposite sides of him as easily as he can react to a single attacker. This defense denies rogues the ability to use flank attacks to sneak attack the hunter. The exception to this defense is that a rogue at least four levels higher than the hunter can flank him (and thus sneak attack him).
If a character gains uncanny dodge (see above) from a second class the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge, and the levels from those classes stack to determine the minimum rogue level required to flank the character.

Negate Magic (Su)
At 10th level, a hunter can simply stop spellcasters in their tracks. Thrice per day a hunter can create an anti-magic field with a radius of 10 feet centered on them for 1 minute. If the hunter moves, the field moves with them. Every 2 levels thereafter the radius increases by 10 feet and the hunter can use it an additional time per day (20-ft and 4 times per day at level 12, 30-ft and 5 times per day at 14th level).

Nauseate caster (Ex)
Twice per day when making a spellburn attack, a hunter can also make it a nauseating attack. If their spellburn attack hits and does full damage, the caster is also nauseated, as the condition for 1d4 rounds.

Stun caster (Ex)
Thrice per day when making a spellburn attack, a hunter can also make it a stunning attack. If their spellburn attack hits and does full damage, the caster is also stunned, as the condition, for 1d4 rounds.

Exhaust Caster (Ex)
Twice per day when making a spellburn attack, a hunter can also make it a exhausting attack. If their spellburn attack hits and does full damage, the caster is also Exhausted, as the condition, for 1d3 rounds and then fatigued, as the condition.

Shutdown Caster (Su)
Once per day a 15th level Hunter can completely shut down a single caster. As a standard action they can attempt to stop a spellcaster from casting any more spells that day. The spellcaster must make a fortitude save with a DC of 10+half the hunters level+the hunters Int modifier, or lose the ability to cast spells until they rest to regain them.

Ex-Hunters
If a hunter at any point gains spell casting, they lose all hunter class abilities, except Sneak Attack, Uncanny Dodge, and Hide in plain sight.

Zman
2013-12-07, 11:13 PM
Interesting PrC overall, but I have a few concerns right away.

Require a specific skill rank of 8 to put entry level inline with other Prcs.

Your requirements, add Knowledge Arcana 4 Ranks? Fits that to become a Mage Hunter you have some knowledge and understanding of Magic.

Add Knowledge Arcana as a Class Skill.
Add Spellcraft as a Class Spell.

Makes sense to have a basic understanding of Magic and Spellcraft to Hunt Mages.

Dipping for Spell Resistance. Maybe swap Spell Resistance and Track?

Haldir
2013-12-07, 11:27 PM
Love it, a very nice homebrew that I could easily see myself using or adapting for my own use. I would probably negate the limit on spellcasting levels, as it keeps out Ranger, Bard, and Duskblade, all of whom could greatly benefit from this class. I understand the balance issue, as you don't want spellcasters getting awesome anti-spellcaster abilities. But honestly, the lack of spellcaster progression will likely deter any cleric, wizard, or druid from taking the class anyway. So now my Ranger/Duskblade has to choose- Do I want to keep getting spells or have the supersweet Magehunter stuff?

asdflove
2013-12-08, 01:57 AM
Require a specific skill rank of 8 to put entry level inline with other Prcs.
Skills are where they are because that's where I want them to be.



Your requirements, add Knowledge Arcana 4 Ranks? Fits that to become a Mage Hunter you have some knowledge and understanding of Magic.
Meant to come in from Rogue. I already didn't like putting survival there, as it's not a class skill for rogues.


Add Knowledge Arcana as a Class Skill.
Add Spellcraft as a Class Spell.

Check again on Spellcraft. It's already there.



Dipping for Spell Resistance. Maybe swap Spell Resistance and Track?
No. I thought about that when I first made the class, and decided I'm fine with dipping for spell resistance.


Love it, a very nice homebrew that I could easily see myself using or adapting for my own use. I would probably negate the limit on spellcasting levels, as it keeps out Ranger, Bard, and Duskblade, all of whom could greatly benefit from this class. I understand the balance issue, as you don't want spellcasters getting awesome anti-spellcaster abilities. But honestly, the lack of spellcaster progression will likely deter any cleric, wizard, or druid from taking the class anyway. So now my Ranger/Duskblade has to choose- Do I want to keep getting spells or have the supersweet Magehunter stuff?
Non-spellcasting variant of the ranger? I'm sure one exists somewhere.
I didn't want Bards or Duskblades getting in.

Rolep
2013-12-08, 02:19 AM
I hate to be that guy but a mage could still absolutely destroy this class. AMF, counterspell and detect magic are not nearly a strong enough defence.

asdflove
2013-12-08, 08:32 AM
I hate to be that guy but a mage could still absolutely destroy this class. AMF, counterspell and detect magic are not nearly a strong enough defence.

Evasion, Mettle and SR?

Rolep
2013-12-08, 09:21 AM
Evasion, Mettle and SR?
I'm not the person to ask, but if you search, you can find tons of ways of attacking with spells that have no save or SR and can pierce an AM field.

asdflove
2013-12-08, 11:09 AM
I'm not the person to ask, but if you search, you can find tons of ways of attacking with spells that have no save or SR and can pierce an AM field.
It requires a 9th level spell to cast in a AMF.
I highly doubt there is a spell that can do all 3 of those. If one existed it would be broken as hell.
The first spells that come to mind that ignore spell resistance (and can get through an AMF, Seriously how does an orb of sound make any sense as an instantaneous conjuration?) are the orb spells, and they're to-hit, and wizards have horrible BAB.
If you're referring to summoned creatures, they 'wink out' in an AMF.
Seriously, what are you talking about?

anacalgion
2013-12-08, 06:34 PM
It requires a 9th level spell to cast in a AMF.
I highly doubt there is a spell that can do all 3 of those. If one existed it would be broken as hell.
The first spells that come to mind that ignore spell resistance (and can get through an AMF, Seriously how does an orb of sound make any sense as an instantaneous conjuration?) are the orb spells, and they're to-hit, and wizards have horrible BAB.
If you're referring to summoned creatures, they 'wink out' in an AMF.
Seriously, what are you talking about?

See, here's the thing. Sure, if you get a wizard to sit in your antimagic field and you punch them for a few rounds, they'll die. Problem is, they can just walk out of the field. Move action to back up -> Dimension Door makes you a very sad hunter. In fact, beyond a few hiding abilities, you've got no real way to get into a range where you can use an antimagic field. If I see a hunter coming after me, I cast fly or dimension door or whatever and leave. I know there's a chance to counter spell but that's just not that impressive. As for horrible BAB, 1/2 is not as bad as you think, especially when the class has no way to improve its touch AC. Just some thoughts.

EDIT: the class has all good saves and spell resistance at level 1. It's way too good of a dip.

Rolep
2013-12-09, 11:14 AM
Honestly, it's pretty much impossible to build a mage-slayer PrC. People have been trying since 3rd first came out, and no one has yet truly succeeded (though there have been some pretty good attempts). You made a valiant effort, but it doesn't deal with contingencies, schrodinger's wizard, batman wizard and the like.

asdflove
2013-12-09, 03:07 PM
The Hunter has a new class feature. Teleporting can't keep them away from you.

Seraphiel
2013-12-09, 03:54 PM
This isn't too bad. Maybe add a save to the spellburn effect? Seems reasonable.

Haldir
2013-12-09, 04:05 PM
Don't forget to update the table, partner.

I like the Seeker ability, but I was also thinking about how one might destroy the hated wizard, and thought that adding a dimensional anchor effect would accomplish the same goal.

Giving the class some Spell Turning also couldn't hurt.

But the real problem is the Conjuration school in general, so I was thinking that perhaps you design something similar to your Spellburn feature, which takes the spell effect and violently reverses it on the caster.

Say the caster uses Grease on an area. By the normal rules, the Grease is just there and there's nothing anyone can do about it - haha sucks to be you. However, perhaps the Hunter can use an ability to reduce the Grease back to its component magical elements. All the power that the caster carefully placed during his spell preparation is suddenly and violently reversed, flowing back into them, dealing damage. If you must give that damage a save, make it Fortitude, because casters suck at that and I imagine this as more of a bodily effect.

asdflove
2013-12-10, 10:09 AM
Don't forget to update the table, partner.

I like the Seeker ability, but I was also thinking about how one might destroy the hated wizard, and thought that adding a dimensional anchor effect would accomplish the same goal.

Qwertyu63 actually came up with the seeker ability. He Pm'd it to me.



Giving the class some Spell Turning also couldn't hurt.

Oh! I didn't even think of that.



But the real problem is the Conjuration school in general, so I was thinking that perhaps you design something similar to your Spellburn feature, which takes the spell effect and violently reverses it on the caster.

Say the caster uses Grease on an area. By the normal rules, the Grease is just there and there's nothing anyone can do about it - haha sucks to be you. However, perhaps the Hunter can use an ability to reduce the Grease back to its component magical elements. All the power that the caster carefully placed during his spell preparation is suddenly and violently reversed, flowing back into them, dealing damage. If you must give that damage a save, make it Fortitude, because casters suck at that and I imagine this as more of a bodily effect.
I like it. I'll update this before the end of the day.

asdflove
2013-12-18, 02:18 PM
I like it. I'll update this before the end of the day.
I clearly have a very generous definition of the end of the day. Spell Turning and Twisted Conjuration added.

asdflove
2013-12-20, 03:01 PM
BOOM! Out of nowhere it's a 15 level long PrC. :smallbiggrin: