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Fax Celestis
2007-08-01, 11:13 AM
The Hunters of the Stag are mortals in the service of Horjin, the tiger-god of the hunt. They specialize in archery, though they have are seen as vicious warriors in combat, protectors of the arts, and masters of the wilderness.

Abilities: Many of the Hunter's abilities rely on Wisdom and Charisma, though being a martial character essentially requires one to have high physical statistics as well.
Races: Most Hunters of the Stag are humans, though almost every race is represented.
Alignments: Hunters of the Stag must be of some good alignment.
Hit Die: d8

Prerequisites
A Hunter of the Stag must meet all of the following requirements:
Feats: Rapid Shot, Track
Skills: Survival 8 ranks, Hide 8 ranks, Move Silently 8 ranks, Craft (Any) 5 ranks, Knowledge (Nature) 5 ranks
Special: Must worship Horjin

Class Features
{table=head]Level | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | Mantles
1st | +0 | +2 | +2 | +0 | Sacred Hunt, Weapon of Choice, Strafe (+1d6/+0, 1 Shot) | 1
2nd | +1 | +3 | +3 | +0 | Hunter's Eye | 2
3rd | +2 | +3 | +3 | +1 | Uncanny Dodge | 2
4th | +3 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Strafe (+2d6/+1, 2 Shots) | 2
5th | +3 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Hide in Plain Sight | 3
6th | +4 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Evasion | 3
7th | +5 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Strafe (+3d6/+2, 3 Shots) | 3
8th | +6 | +6 | +6 | +2 | Improved Uncanny Dodge | 4
9th | +6 | +6 | +6 | +3 | Improved Evasion | 4
10th | +7 | +7 | +7 | +3 | Strafe (+4d6/+3, 4 Shots) | 4[/table]

Class Skills (6 + Int Modifier): Climb, Craft, Escape Artist, Gather Information, Handle Animal, Heal, Hide, Jump, Knowledge (Nature), Listen, Move Silently, Profession, Ride, Sense Motive, Spot, Survival, Swim

Proficiencies: Hunters of the Stag are proficient with all martial bows. They do not gain any other proficiencies.

Mantles (Su): A Hunter of the Stag, due to their service to Horjin, is granted a modicum of power from his god. As such, he gains a few mantles over the course of his career as a Hunter of the Stag. These mantles are chosen from the list of Good mantles, or are selected from the Hunter list below.

Sacred Hunt: Hunters of the Stag all have a quest given to them by Horjin. Sometimes this quest doesn't make sense to the Hunter, but they are expected to follow it anyway. The DM should choose a Sacred Hunt for the Hunter at character creation and tell the player what it is (but not necessarily understandably: gods communicate cryptically). Treat this as a geas/quest spell that is permanent and cannot be dispelled.

Weapon of Choice: A Hunter's chosen weapon is a killing machine in his hands. At first level, a Hunter of the Stag selects one weapon with which he is proficient. He gains the Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization feats as bonus feats for that weapon.

Strafe (Ex): A Hunter of the Stag learns how to move while attacking. Starting at 1st level, a Hunter of the Stag can make ranged attacks while moving. He can move both before and after an attack, provided that his total distance moved is not greater than his speed. During a strafe, he is allowed a single shot, as if he were making a standard attack action (not a full-attack).

While strafing, the Hunter of the Stag deals an extra 1d6 points of damage. This is untyped precision damage, similar to that gained by a rogue's sneak attack. Creatures immune to critical hits or without a discernible anatomy (such as an ooze) are immune to the extra damage from a strafe. This damage increases by 1d6 every three levels, to 2d6 at 4th, 3d6 at 7th, and 4d6 at 10th. He also gains a bonus on attack rolls made during a strafe: +1 at 4th, +2 at 7th, and +3 at 10th.

At 4th level, and every three levels after (7th and 10th), the Hunter of the Stag gains the ability to make extras shots while moving. He must move at least 5' between each shot. Each shot deals extra damage and uses its own attack rolls. The second shot is made at the Hunter of the Stag's base attack bonus -5, the third at -10, and the fourth at -15--as if they were iterative attacks made in a full-attack. He may receive more attacks from this ability than his base attack bonus would normally allow.

Hunter's Eye (Ex): A Hunter can use precision-based damage at a range of up to 60' instead of the normal 30'.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, a Hunter can react to danger before his senses would normally allow her to do so. He retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if he is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, he still loses his Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.

If a Hunter already has uncanny dodge from a different class, he automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead.

Hide in Plain Sight (Ex): While in any sort of natural terrain, a Hunter of at least 5th level can use the Hide skill even while being observed.

Evasion (Ex): At 6yh level and higher, a Hunter can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he 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.

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): A Hunter of 8th level or higher can no longer be flanked. This defense denies rogues the ability to Sneak Attack the character by flanking him, unless the attacker has at least four more rogue levels than the target has Hunter levels.

If a character already has uncanny dodge from a second class, the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead, and the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum rogue level required to flank the character.

Improved Evasion (Ex): This ability works like evasion, except that while the Hunter still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks, henceforth he takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless Hunter does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.

Hunter Mantles
Artistry
Art is what separates man from beast. The pursuit of the arts, in any form, should take precedence in your life.

The Hunter has sworn to protect the arts, be it performance or display. He loses all aspects of this mantle if he ever destroys or sells an art object, or does not have as many ranks in a Craft skill as he has Hunter levels.

A Hunter who selects this mantle receives a sacred bonus on Appraise, Forgery, and Craft checks for crafts in which he has training equal to his Hunter level. In addition, he gains the Favored Enemy ability for the Construct type.

Atonement: A Hunter who has broken this mantle may atone by creating a piece of art worth over 1000gp and donating it to a museum or or similar display.

Commune
Show others the respect you wish to receive yourself.

The Hunter is dedicated to equality and fairness between all peoples, regardless of race or background, and also is bound to follow the laws of the land. He loses all aspects of this mantle if he passes judgment based on race or nationality or refuses to submit to legitimate authority.

A Hunter who selects this mantle receives a sacred bonus on Sense Motive, Knowledge (Local), Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty), and Gather Information checks equal to his Hunter level. In addition, he gains the Favored Enemy ability for his own type.

Atonement: A Hunter who has broken this mantle may atone by donating at least 1000gp to a charity dedicated to the protection and upbringing of a minority.

Destruction
Should the earth, the arts, or nature ever be threatened, it is your responsibility to protect them with your life.

The Hunter is devoted to destroying those who threaten nature and the natural world. He loses all aspects of this mantle if he ever strikes a creature with the Animal or Magical Beast type before they attack him, if he ever commands animals, or if he ever owns land.

A Hunter who selects this mantle receives a sacred bonus on Survival, Hide, Move Silently, and Knowledge (Nature) checks equal to his Hunter level. In addition, he gains the Favored Enemy ability for the Animal and Magical Beast types.

Atonement: A Hunter who has broken this mantle may atone by raising an animal from infancy to adulthood before releasing it into the wild.

Domain
The earth is sacred land. Treat it as such, and punish those who don't.

The Hunter is a caretaker and protector of the land and the natural world. He loses all aspects of this mantle if he ever damages natural environments through means such as logging or mining, or allows others to do the same in a manner that potentially endangers creatures who are currently living in the area.

A Hunter who selects this mantle receives a sacred bonus on Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering), Heal, Swim, and Climb checks equal to his Hunter level. In addition, he gains the Favored Enemy ability for the Elemental type.

Atonement: A Hunter who has broken this mantle may atone by working to reverse the effects of logging, mining, or other environment-damaging practices for at least a month.

Mission
It is your duty as a Hunter to cull the weak and promote evolution as best you can--even at the risk of making a species extinct.

The Hunter is a culler of the weak and of the wilds. He loses all aspects of this mantle if he leaves a target wounded that he damages in combat without attempting to either kill them or heal them, or if he submits to a foe weaker than himself.

A Hunter who selects this mantle receives a sacred bonus on Intimidate, Listen, Search, and Spot checks equal to his Hunter level. In addition, he gain the Favored Enemy ability for one subtype of the Humanoid type.

Atonement: A Hunter who has broken this mantle may atone by working in service of a legitimate police authority for at least one month.

Good Mantles listed here. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33551)

blue_fenix
2007-08-01, 01:29 PM
Just wondering, have you seen the scout base class? It has a mechanic very similar to strafe. I think it's in complete adventurer.

Fax Celestis
2007-08-01, 01:47 PM
The mechanic is similar, yes, but Strafe is mechanically superior than Skirmish for a variety of reasons I won't go into here.

Duke of URL
2007-08-01, 02:00 PM
Hunter's Eye (Ex): A Hunter can use precision-based damage at a range of up to 60' instead of the normal 30'.

If I read this right, this would allow a Hunter who also had Sneak Attack or similar to use that ability at up to 60' as well. Is this correct?

In any case, I'd restrict it to 60' or one range increment of the weapon, whichever is less, minimum 30'.

Fax Celestis
2007-08-01, 02:11 PM
If I read this right, this would allow a Hunter who also had Sneak Attack or similar to use that ability at up to 60' as well. Is this correct?

In any case, I'd restrict it to 60' or one range increment of the weapon, whichever is less, minimum 30'.

Why? There are feats in existence that already expand it to a flat 60'.

Duke of URL
2007-08-01, 02:29 PM
Why? There are feats in existence that already expand it to a flat 60'.

So I went through the trouble of homebrewing a feat like that (Bandit Archer) for nothing? The critique I got was that it was overpowered...

Fax Celestis
2007-08-01, 02:50 PM
So I went through the trouble of homebrewing a feat like that (Bandit Archer) for nothing? The critique I got was that it was overpowered...

See also: Crossbow Sniper (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Crossbow_Sniper,PH2), from the PHB-II.

Matthew
2007-08-03, 12:15 AM
Good work. This seems like a strong PrC, but I would guess this is the intent?