Key Features for an Anti-Supernatural Class

[Nifft]

I want a Prestige Class which fills the role of Occult Slayer or Witch Slayer, but one that works better as a PC class, so: (a) it's effective against general threats in addition to the specific Mage / Binder / Witch / Occult threats, and (b) has feature strong enough to justify inclusion in a party.

I also want to tie in feats like Mage Slayer from Complete Arcane.

Where else can I look to steal ideas for class features & mechanics which are congruent with those classes, and that feat?

Thanks!

[Endarire]

Generally, on the high end, you need to be a caster (or manifester) to beat a caster or the like.

[Gildedragon]

A character needs to have Evasion and Improved Evasion, solid SR, strong saves, and at least some "dispel magic"-like abilities. There's a Turn Undead variant that does that, as well as a Paladin that gets break enchantment as an SLA.

[kebusmaximus]

I would try to get Mettle as well, it can be more useful than evasion, though it is rarer.

[flappeercraft]

Something that could be useful would be making it able to cut silver cords. Astral Projection basically is a "You didn't really kill me" card but the ability to cut silver cords could negate that.

[gorfnab]

Pathfinder has the Witch Hunter base class which has some useful abilities.

The Cold Iron Warrior prestige class from the WOTC web archives has some interesting options as well.

The Arcane Hunter ACF (CM) for Ranger combined with the feat Nemesis (BoED) is a great combo for finding arcane casters.

Whisper Gnome (RoS) Rogues with the feats Magic in the Blood (PGtF) and Silencing Strike can mess up casters as well.

I came up with this anti-caster type build a while ago. It may have some things that could help your class building.

Spoiler

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1. Ranger - B: Track, Weapon Focus: Guisarme, Arcane Hunter ACF (CM)
2. Barbarian - Spirit Totem: Lion ACF (CC), Whirling Frenzy ACF (UA), {Optional: City Brawler ACF (Drg#349)}
3. Barbarian - Nemisis: Arcanists, Wolf Totem ACF
4. Warblade
5. Warblade
6. Warblade - Mage Slayer
7. Warblade
8. Warblade - B: Improved Initiative
9. Crusader - Blindfight
10. Crusader
11. Occult Slayer
12. Occult Slayer - Combat Reflexes
13. Occult Slayer
14. Occult Slayer
15. Occult Slayer - Pierce Magical Concealment
16. Witch Slayer
17. Witch Slayer
18. Witch Slayer - Stand Still
19. Witch Slayer
20. Witch Slayer

Note: The levels of Occult Slayer and Witch Slayer can be switched around as needed.

Warblade nets you the maneuvers Iron Heart Surge, Moment of Perfect Mind, and Action Before Thought. You also get Uncanny Dodge

Crusader nets you the Thicket of Blade Stance (combos nicely with Stand Still, Combat Reflexes, and a reach weapon; wear spiked gauntlets or armor spikes to threaten nearby squares) and some healing maneuvers. it also nets you Indomitable Soul.

Witch Slayer nets you Mettle and Slippery Mind.

If playing human take EWP: Spiked Chain and WF: Spiked Chain instead of Guisarme.

[Crake]

Something that could be useful would be making it able to cut silver cords. Astral Projection basically is a "You didn't really kill me" card but the ability to cut silver cords could negate that.

Anyone playing around with astral projections is likely gonna have a contingent revivify on the other end, so you'd be just as well off simply dispelling the astral projection.

[Sagetim]

I want a Prestige Class which fills the role of Occult Slayer or Witch Slayer, but one that works better as a PC class, so: (a) it's effective against general threats in addition to the specific Mage / Binder / Witch / Occult threats, and (b) has feature strong enough to justify inclusion in a party.

I also want to tie in feats like Mage Slayer from Complete Arcane.

Where else can I look to steal ideas for class features & mechanics which are congruent with those classes, and that feat?

Thanks!

depends, if we're talking pathfinder, then Mystic from Dreamscarred Press (an initiator class) has a lot of capability in resisting spells (going so far as to have a class ability that lets them will save against ref and fort spells that allow a save for partial effect, being a wis based class with a high will save, and having a scaling bonus against spells, spell likes, psionics and psi likes). And, you know, then you have maneuvers that you can spike damage out with.

With regards to 3.5, Sword Sage will get you where you're going. You might need to mix in something else to get your attack bonus up, but Shadow Hand Maneuvers and striking from stealth to outright murder the caster while they're incapable of actually detecting you is going to be the bread and butter that you use to shut them down. As long as you stick to strikes that aren't supernatural in their nature (like mountain hammer, for example) extra defenses a spellcaster can deploy against spells won't help them any (ignore spell resistance). Some of the more tricky to deploy maneuvers against monsters (the ones that force a fort save) are going to work a lot better against humanoids, because they tend not to have vastly inflated constitution scores.

One of the main things in going for maneuver users is that instead of dispelling your target (which pathfinder does have a few maneuvers for in Elemental Flux) you're going to go for using strikes that let you ignore damage reduction if they have stone skin up, strikes that hit areas if they have mirror images up (in desert wind and elemental flux, depending on edition), and just generally beating the target to death. There's maneuvers for staggering, stunning, dealing ability score damage, throwing, and even just doing large amounts of raw damage to single targets (maneuvers are generally much more limited in their aoe capacity). Outside of strikes, there are stances and maneuvers that vastly increase your mobility beyond 'I move 30 feet, maybe 60 on a charge'. Teleporting effects, spider climb, and flight, things that spellcasters are used to being the sole benefactors of, are things that you can do with a maneuver user and level the playing field from their supposedly unassailable position. Hell, in pathfinder there's a boost at mid level that lets you be ethereal for a full round.

edit: Also, use iron heart surge responsibly. Remember that it takes a standard action and you have to be able to move to use it. That said, it ends the source of effects. And any reasonable DM will at least tell you that no, you can't turn the sun off with it just because of poorly worded and unerrata'd phrasing. At most they might slap you, I dunno.

[Florian]

Pick any PF Barbarian guide and have a look at the basic AM BARBARIAN build, which is a pretty good "Witch Hunter". Important features are:
- Superstition. Scaling bonus to saves
- Disruptive/Spellbreaker. Shut down defensive casting entirely.
- Step Up/Step Up And Strike. Negate 5ft. steps entirely.
- Spellsunder/Spelleater. Use sunder against ongoing spells, alter saves to always be all or nothing.
- Witchkiller. Scaling bonus damage against anything with SU/SLA/Spells.

Additional feats:
- Cut from the Air/Smash from the Air: Use AoO to counter incoming spells.
- Gorum´s Swordmanship: Melee damage always counts as continuous damage.