The Hunter
The Hunter
Hunters specialize in finding and fighting particular kinds of enemies. Their animal companions help locate and occupy their quarry while the Hunter attacks from a distance, though they are far from helpless in melee. A broad understanding of weapons and nature magic gives the Hunter plenty of utility both in and out of combat. They are often found wherever dangerous creatures prey upon settlements, travelers, or anyone wealthy enough to hire them.
Basic Detail
HD Type: d10
Bonus HP Per HD: +5
Attack Curve: High
Magical Prowess: Basic
Sub-Type: Generalist
Skill Growth: 4 + Intelligence modifier (4x as much at first level)
Suggested Skills: Acrobatics, Balance, Bushcraft, Conceal, Disguise, Escape Artist, Heal, Investigate, Knowledge (Nature),
Listen, Move Silently, Profession (Hunter), Ride, Spot, Swim, and Use Rope.
Known Skills: 8 + Intelligence modifier
Weapon Proficiency: A Weapon Group of choice
Armor Proficiency: Light and medium
Saves: 1 High and 3 Low
Primary Mental Attribute (PMA): Wisdom
Suggested Attribute Distribution: Str 16, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 12
Progression
| HD | Perk | Base Attack | High Save | Low Save | Spell Proficiency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HunterD, Weapon Group Fixation F, Animal Companion A, Favored Target | +1 | +2 | +0 | +0 |
| 2 | Careful AimF | +2 | +3 | +0 | +0 |
| 3 | Offensive Group TrainingF | +3 | +3 | +1 | +0 |
| 4 | AlertF | +4 | +4 | +1 | +0 |
| 5 | Bushmaster +2D and Favored Target | +5 | +4 | +1 | +0 |
| 6 | Forceful ShotF | +6/+1 | +5 | +2 | +0 |
| 7 | Lesser Petal ShroudA | +7/+2 | +5 | +2 | +0 |
| 8 | Bushmaster +3 | +8/+3 | +6 | +2 | +0 |
| 9 | Improved Weapon Group FixationF | +9/+4 | +6 | +3 | +0 |
| 10 | Improved Petal ShroudA, Improved Offensive Group TrainingF and Skulker +3D | +10/+5 | +7 | +3 | +1 |
| 11 | - | +11/+6/+1 | +7 | +3 | +1 |
| 12 | Deadly AccuracyF, Bushmaster +4, and Skulker +4 | +12/+7/+2 | +8 | +4 | +1 |
| 13 | Weapon AbilityA | +13/+8/+3 | +8 | +4 | +1 |
| 14 | - | +14/+9/+4 | +9 | +4 | +1 |
| 15 | Critical FocusF and SpeedyD | +15/+10/+5 | +9 | +5 | +1 |
| 16 | Rending CriticalF, Bushmaster +5, and Skulker +5 | +16/+11/+6/+1 | +10 | +5 | +1 |
| 17 | - | +17/+12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +1 |
| 18 | Crack ShotF | +18/+13/+8/+3 | +11 | +6 | +1 |
| 19 | Greater Petal ShroudA | +19/+14/+9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +1 |
| 20 | UnleashA, WardD +6, Bushmaster +6, and Skulker +6 | +20/+15/+10/+5 | +12 | +6 | +2 |
F Feat, A Ability, and D Definition
The Breakdown
The Hunter typically fights at range. They use an animal companion to locate and occupy their target while they attack with ranged weapons. This does not leave them defenseless in melee. They focus on a group of weapons rather than a single weapon, while their understanding of nature magic grants them considerable utility in and out of combat.
Hunter: This is the primary definition. It grants a growing bonus called favored target. It also removes access to the generalist list of spells, and instead grants access to the nature list of spells.
| Target Category |
|---|
| Aberrations |
| Animal |
| Attendant |
| Construct |
| Dragon* |
| Elemental |
| Humanoid, Beast* |
| Humanoid, Elf* |
| Humanoid, Human* |
| Undead |
Humanoids: There are several kinds of humanoids, each with several subvarieties. Human includes all cultures of humans. Elf includes elves, winged elves, orcs, and goblins. Beast includes all lizard-folk and beast-folk varieties.
Dragon: This includes all dragons, as well as kobolds, qilin, and any character with a draconic bloodline.
Weapon Group Fixation: This provides a +1 training bonus to attack on all weapons within the weapon group; it does not stack with the weapon selected for weapon fixation.
Animal Companion: Gain an Animal Companion, typically a canine or bird of prey.
Careful Aim: Ignore partial concealment and never hit the wrong target if the target is grappled.
Offensive Group Training: This provides a +2 training bonus to damage on all weapons within the weapon group; it does not stack with the weapon selected for weapon fixation.
Alert: Gain a +3 inherent bonus to Listen, Spot, and initiative rolls.
Forceful Shot: Gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls when using a ranged weapon against a target within 30 ft.
Bushmaster: Trackers suffer a -5 penalty when using Bushcraft to track the Hunter. Gain a +1 competency bonus to Knowledge (Nature) and Bushcraft. This bonus increases by +1 for every 4 HD.
Lesser Petal Shroud: Gain the ability Lesser Petal Shroud.
Improved Weapon Group Fixation: All weapons within the weapon group will now have a +2 training bonus on rolls to attack.
Improved Petal Shroud: Upgrade Lesser Petal Shroud to Improved Petal Shroud.
Improved Offensive Group Training: All weapons within the weapon group will now have a +4 training bonus to damage rolls.
Skulker: Tracking DCs against the Hunter are now 5 higher. Gain a +1 competency bonus to Conceal and Move Silently. This bonus will increase by +1 for every 4 HD.
Deadly Accuracy: Select a preferred weapon from within the selected weapon group, and double its critical threat range. E.g. from 20 to 19-20, from 19-20 to 17-20, or from 18-20 to 15-20.
Weapon Ability: Select one of the following abilities depending on weapon preferences: Hail of Arrows, Wind Slash, or Piercer.
Critical Focus: Gain a +5 circumstantial bonus when confirming critical hits with the weapon selected for deadly accuracy.
Speedy: The base speed of the character is increased by 20 ft.
Rending Critical: When rolling damage on a critical hit with the weapon selected for Deadly Accuracy, gain +1d10 damage with a x2 weapon, +2d10 damage with a x3 weapon, or +3d10 damage with a x4 weapon.
Crack Shot: Gain an extra attack with a bow during the round but all attacks suffer a -2 penalty.
Greater Petal Shroud: Upgrade Improved Petal Shroud to Greater Petal Shroud.
Unleash: Gain the ability Unleash.
Ward: The Hunter can no longer be caught flat-footed during the first round of combat, even if surprised. They also gain a +1 competency bonus to Spot and Listen checks. This bonus increases by +1 for every 4 HD.
Spell Casting
Caster Level: A basic caster's caster level (CL) is considered to be their HD divided in half, rounded down. Thus, a level 11 basic caster has a CL of 5. This affects many aspects of a spell, like range, number of damage dice, duration, etc.
Spells Known: Spells known are spells that a caster does not have to prepare ahead of time. A basic magic user does not get many of these. This does not mean, however, that they cannot cast spells. They can carry a spellbook around and put any spell from their specified list into it (Arcane, Divine, or Generalist).
Spells Per Day: Also called spell slots, these are how many of a given spell level can be cast per day. Sometimes a level will have 0 listed. This means they are able to cast spells at that level, given that they have a high enough PMA to get bonus spells per day.
Prepared Spells: Spells in a spellbook must be prepared, consuming a spell per day when they are. A spell remains prepared until cast. The slot occupied by a prepared spell can be used to cast any known spell instead.
Spell Proficiency: Spell proficiency is added to spells, spell-like abilities (Sp), supernatural abilities (Su) DCs, as well as spell attack rolls, including touch attacks. It is also applied as a flat bonus for each damage, healing, or warding die for spells, spell-like abilities (Sp), or supernatural abilities (Su). Spell proficiency does not apply to the attack or damage rolls of a weapon modified by a spell, unless that spell explicitly says otherwise. For example, if a character has a spell that deals 5d6 damage and has a Spell Proficiency of 2, it will deal 5d6+10 damage.
| Spells Known | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HD | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
| 1 | - | - | - | - |
| 2 | - | - | - | - |
| 3 | 1 | - | - | - |
| 4 | 1 | - | - | - |
| 5 | 1 | - | - | - |
| 6 | 1 | - | - | - |
| 7 | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| 8 | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| 9 | 2 | 1 | - | - |
| 10 | 2 | 1 | - | - |
| 11 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - |
| 12 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - |
| 13 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - |
| 14 | 2 | 2 | 1 | - |
| 15 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 16 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 17 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 18 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 19 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 20 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Spells Per Day | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HD | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
| 1 | - | - | - | - |
| 2 | 0 | - | - | - |
| 3 | 1 | - | - | - |
| 4 | 1 | - | - | - |
| 5 | 2 | - | - | - |
| 6 | 2 | 0 | - | - |
| 7 | 2 | 1 | - | - |
| 8 | 2 | 1 | - | - |
| 9 | 2 | 1 | - | - |
| 10 | 3 | 2 | 0 | - |
| 11 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - |
| 12 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - |
| 13 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - |
| 14 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 15 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 16 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 17 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 18 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| 19 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| 20 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
Suggested Spells by Level
Since the Hunter has basic magic, enemies will resist their magic more easily. Spells that do not require or elicit a saving throw are often the most reliable, particularly those that improve the Hunter's capabilities or those of their group. As with everything, these spells are suggestions, not requirements.