TabletopNuke
2009-12-10, 04:17 PM
Psychic Hunter
I scoured the web for a ranger variant that replaced the magic and animal-flavored features with psionics, but left the core mechanics in place. My search left me unsatisfied, so I had no option but to make my own.
I created the psychic hunter because the spellcasting, animal-focused ranger didn't fit the flavor I wanted at all. I considered the nonspellcasting ranger, but I still wanted the class to have supernatural buff abilities. In addition, I wanted to make a full BAB psionic class.
I tried to convert the ranger spellcasting to psionics progression as best I could, using the Warmind (EPH) and Zerth Cenobite (CP) for reference. Do they look alright? If anyone knows a of spellcasting-to-psionics conversion formula, I'd greatly appreciate hearing it.
I replaced Wild Empathy with Fortified Body. The ranger's Animal Companion was replaced with Expert Hunting. Do these look like balanced changes?
For flavor purposes, Endurance was replaced with Speed of Thought, and the Will is a good save, rather than Fortitude. Psychic hunters focus on more mental capability and less on physical than other rangers, afterall. I also replaced the combat style feats with psionic ones.
Sorry, no fluff for this (like that's what you came for).
Game Rule Information:
Abilities: Psychic hunters value physical capability, Dexterity for defense, Constitution for durability, and Strength for melee. In addition, Wisdom powers their psionic manifesting, and improves their tracking skills.
Alignment: Any
Hit Dice: D8
Class Skills:
Autohypnosis (Wis), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (Geography) (Int), Knowledge (Nature) (Int), Knowledge (Psionics) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Use Rope (Dex)
Skill Points at 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) X 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier
Psychic Hunter
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Power Points/Day|Powers Known|Maximum Power Level Known
1st|
+1|
+0|
+2|
+2|1st favored enemy, Sixth Sense, Track, Wild Talent|
-|
-|
-
2nd|
+2|
+0|
+3|
+3|Psychic combat style|
-|
-|
-
3rd|
+3|
+1|
+3|
+3|Speed of Thought|
-|
-|
-
4th|
+4|
+1|
+4|
+4|Expert hunting|
0|
1|
1st
5th|
+5|
+1|
+4|
+4|2nd favored enemy|
0|
1|
1st
6th|
+6/+1|
+2|
+5|
+5|Improved psychic combat style|
0|
1|
1st
7th|
+7/+2|
+2|
+5|
+5|Woodland stride|
1|
2|
1st
8th|
+8/+3|
+2|
+6|
+6|Swift tracker|
2|
3|
2nd
9th|
+9/+4|
+3|
+6|
+6|Evasion|
3|
3|
2nd
10th|
+10/+5|
+3|
+7|
+7|3rd favored enemy|
4|
3|
2nd
11th|
+11/+6/+1|
+3|
+7|
+7|Psychic combat style mastery|
5|
4|
3rd
12th|
+12/+7/+2|
+4|
+8|
+8|-|
6|
4|
3rd
13th|
+13/+8/+3|
+4|
+8|
+8|Camouflage|
8|
4|
3rd
14th|
+14/+9/+4|
+4|
+9|
+9|-|
11|
5|
4th
15th|
+15/+10/+5|
+5|
+9|
+9|4th favored enemy|
13|
5|
4th
16th|
+16/+11/+6/+1|
+5|
+9|
+9|-|
15|
5|
4th
17th|
+17/+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+10|
+10|Hide in plain sight|
19|
5|
4th
18th|
+18/+13/+8/+3|
+6|
+11|
+11|-|
21|
5|
4th
19th|
+19/+14/+9/+4|
+6|
+11|
+11|-|
23|
5|
4th
20th|
+20/+15/+10/+5|
+6|
+12|
+12|5th favored enemy|
24|
5|
4th [/table]
Class Features:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A psychic hunter is proficient with all simple weapons and martial weapons, and with light armor, but not with shields.
Favored Enemy (Ex): At 1st level, a psychic hunter may select a type of creature from among those given on page 47 of the Player’s Handbook. The psychic hunter gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against creatures of this type. Likewise, he gets a +2 bonus on weapon damage rolls against such creatures.
At 5th level and every five levels thereafter (10th, 15th, and 20th level), the psychic hunter may select an additional favored enemy from those given on the table. In addition, at each such interval, the bonus against any one favored enemy (including the one just selected, if so desired) increases by 2.
If the psychic hunter chooses humanoids or as a favored enemy, he must also choose an associated subtype, as indicated on the table. If a specific creature falls into more than one category of favored enemy, the psychic hunter’s bonuses do not stack; he simply uses whichever bonus is higher.
Track: A psychic hunter gains Track (PH 101) as a bonus feat.
Sixth Sense (Su): As a full-found action, you can expend your psionic focus to detect and pinpoint all creatures that are not mindless (anything with an intelligence of 1 or higher) within a range of 5 feet per class level. This ability works like blindsense. You know what square each thinking creature is in, but you cannot see them, and they still have total concealment unless you can see them through other means.
Wild Talent: A psychic hunter gains Wild Talent (EPH 52) as a bonus feat.
Psychic Combat Style (Ex): At 2nd level, a psychic hunter must select one of two psychic combat styles to pursue: psychic archery or psychic melee. This choice affects the character’s class features but does not restrict his selection of feats or special abilities in any way.
If the psychic hunter selects archery, he gains Psionic Shot (EPH 50) as a bonus feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
If the psychic hunter selects psychic melee, he gains Psionic Weapon (EPH 50) as a bonus feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
Speed of Thought: At 3rd level, a psychic hunter gains Speed of Thought (EPH 51) as a bonus feat.
Power Points/Day: A psychic hunter’s ability to manifest powers is limited by the power points he has available. His base daily allotment of power points is given on the table above. This number does not include the power points gained from the Wild Talent feat. In addition, he receives bonus power points per day if he has a high Wisdom score (EPH 18). His race may also provide bonus power points per day, as may certain feats and items. A psychic hunter of 6th level or lower gains no power points for his class level, but he gains bonus power points (if he is entitled to any), and can manifest the single power he knows with those power points.
Powers Known: A psychic hunter begins play without knowing any powers. Beginning at 4th level, a psychic hunter learns one power of the player’s choice, chosen from the Psychic Warrior list (EPH 73). As he goes up in level, he continues to unlock knowledge of new powers as shown on the psychic hunter class table. A psychic hunter can manifest any power that has a power point cost equal to or lower than his manifester level. Through 3rd level, a psychic hunter has no manifester level. At 4th level and higher, his caster level equals ½ his class level.
The total number of powers a psychic hunter can manifest in a day is limited only by his daily power points.
A psychic hunter simply knows his powers; they are ingrained in his mind. He does not need to prepare them (in the way that some spellcasters prepare their spells), though he must get a good night’s sleep each day to regain all his spent power points.
The Difficulty Class for saving throws against psychic hunter powers is 10 + the power’s level + the psychic hunter’s Wisdom modifier.
Maximum Power Level Known: A psychic hunter begins play without the ability to learn powers. At 4th level, he gains the ability to learn 1st level powers. As he attains higher levels, he gains the ability to master more complex powers.
To learn or manifest a power, a psychic hunter must have a Wisdom score of at least 10 + the power’s level.
Expert Hunting (Ex): At 4th level a psychic hunter’s favored enemy bonus applies on attack rolls against such creatures.
Improved Psychic Combat Style (Ex): At 6th level, a psychic hunter’s aptitude in his chosen psychic combat style (psychic archery or psychic melee) improves. If he selected psychic archery at 2nd level, he gains Greater Psionic Shot (EPH 47), even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
If the psychic hunter selected psychic melee combat at 2nd level, he gains Greater Psionic Weapon (EPH 47), even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
Woodland Stride (Ex): Starting at 7th level, a psychic hunter may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at his normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment.
However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that are enchanted or magically manipulated to impede motion still affect him.
Swift Tracker (Ex): Beginning at 8th level, a psychic hunter can move at his normal speed while following tracks without taking the normal -5 penalty. He takes only a -10 penalty (instead of the normal -20) when moving at up to twice normal speed while tracking.
Evasion (Ex): At 9th level, a psychic 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 psychic hunter is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless psychic hunter does not gain the benefit of evasion.
Psychic Combat Style Mastery (Ex): At 11th level, a psychic hunter’s aptitude in his chosen combat style (psychic archery or psychic melee) improves again. If he selected psychic archery at 2nd level, he gains Fell Shot (EPH 46) as a bonus feat, even if he doesn't meet the prerequisites.
If the psychic hunter selected psychic melee at 2nd level, he gains Deep Impact (EPH 45) as a bonus feat, even if he doesn't meet the prerequisites.
Camouflage (Ex): A psychic hunter of 13th level or higher can use the Hide skill in any sort of natural terrain, even if the terrain doesn’t grant cover or concealment.
Hide in Plain Sight (Ex): While in any sort of natural terrain, a psychic hunter of 17th level or higher can use the Hide skill even while being observed.
I scoured the web for a ranger variant that replaced the magic and animal-flavored features with psionics, but left the core mechanics in place. My search left me unsatisfied, so I had no option but to make my own.
I created the psychic hunter because the spellcasting, animal-focused ranger didn't fit the flavor I wanted at all. I considered the nonspellcasting ranger, but I still wanted the class to have supernatural buff abilities. In addition, I wanted to make a full BAB psionic class.
I tried to convert the ranger spellcasting to psionics progression as best I could, using the Warmind (EPH) and Zerth Cenobite (CP) for reference. Do they look alright? If anyone knows a of spellcasting-to-psionics conversion formula, I'd greatly appreciate hearing it.
I replaced Wild Empathy with Fortified Body. The ranger's Animal Companion was replaced with Expert Hunting. Do these look like balanced changes?
For flavor purposes, Endurance was replaced with Speed of Thought, and the Will is a good save, rather than Fortitude. Psychic hunters focus on more mental capability and less on physical than other rangers, afterall. I also replaced the combat style feats with psionic ones.
Sorry, no fluff for this (like that's what you came for).
Game Rule Information:
Abilities: Psychic hunters value physical capability, Dexterity for defense, Constitution for durability, and Strength for melee. In addition, Wisdom powers their psionic manifesting, and improves their tracking skills.
Alignment: Any
Hit Dice: D8
Class Skills:
Autohypnosis (Wis), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (Geography) (Int), Knowledge (Nature) (Int), Knowledge (Psionics) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Use Rope (Dex)
Skill Points at 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) X 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier
Psychic Hunter
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Power Points/Day|Powers Known|Maximum Power Level Known
1st|
+1|
+0|
+2|
+2|1st favored enemy, Sixth Sense, Track, Wild Talent|
-|
-|
-
2nd|
+2|
+0|
+3|
+3|Psychic combat style|
-|
-|
-
3rd|
+3|
+1|
+3|
+3|Speed of Thought|
-|
-|
-
4th|
+4|
+1|
+4|
+4|Expert hunting|
0|
1|
1st
5th|
+5|
+1|
+4|
+4|2nd favored enemy|
0|
1|
1st
6th|
+6/+1|
+2|
+5|
+5|Improved psychic combat style|
0|
1|
1st
7th|
+7/+2|
+2|
+5|
+5|Woodland stride|
1|
2|
1st
8th|
+8/+3|
+2|
+6|
+6|Swift tracker|
2|
3|
2nd
9th|
+9/+4|
+3|
+6|
+6|Evasion|
3|
3|
2nd
10th|
+10/+5|
+3|
+7|
+7|3rd favored enemy|
4|
3|
2nd
11th|
+11/+6/+1|
+3|
+7|
+7|Psychic combat style mastery|
5|
4|
3rd
12th|
+12/+7/+2|
+4|
+8|
+8|-|
6|
4|
3rd
13th|
+13/+8/+3|
+4|
+8|
+8|Camouflage|
8|
4|
3rd
14th|
+14/+9/+4|
+4|
+9|
+9|-|
11|
5|
4th
15th|
+15/+10/+5|
+5|
+9|
+9|4th favored enemy|
13|
5|
4th
16th|
+16/+11/+6/+1|
+5|
+9|
+9|-|
15|
5|
4th
17th|
+17/+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+10|
+10|Hide in plain sight|
19|
5|
4th
18th|
+18/+13/+8/+3|
+6|
+11|
+11|-|
21|
5|
4th
19th|
+19/+14/+9/+4|
+6|
+11|
+11|-|
23|
5|
4th
20th|
+20/+15/+10/+5|
+6|
+12|
+12|5th favored enemy|
24|
5|
4th [/table]
Class Features:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A psychic hunter is proficient with all simple weapons and martial weapons, and with light armor, but not with shields.
Favored Enemy (Ex): At 1st level, a psychic hunter may select a type of creature from among those given on page 47 of the Player’s Handbook. The psychic hunter gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against creatures of this type. Likewise, he gets a +2 bonus on weapon damage rolls against such creatures.
At 5th level and every five levels thereafter (10th, 15th, and 20th level), the psychic hunter may select an additional favored enemy from those given on the table. In addition, at each such interval, the bonus against any one favored enemy (including the one just selected, if so desired) increases by 2.
If the psychic hunter chooses humanoids or as a favored enemy, he must also choose an associated subtype, as indicated on the table. If a specific creature falls into more than one category of favored enemy, the psychic hunter’s bonuses do not stack; he simply uses whichever bonus is higher.
Track: A psychic hunter gains Track (PH 101) as a bonus feat.
Sixth Sense (Su): As a full-found action, you can expend your psionic focus to detect and pinpoint all creatures that are not mindless (anything with an intelligence of 1 or higher) within a range of 5 feet per class level. This ability works like blindsense. You know what square each thinking creature is in, but you cannot see them, and they still have total concealment unless you can see them through other means.
Wild Talent: A psychic hunter gains Wild Talent (EPH 52) as a bonus feat.
Psychic Combat Style (Ex): At 2nd level, a psychic hunter must select one of two psychic combat styles to pursue: psychic archery or psychic melee. This choice affects the character’s class features but does not restrict his selection of feats or special abilities in any way.
If the psychic hunter selects archery, he gains Psionic Shot (EPH 50) as a bonus feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
If the psychic hunter selects psychic melee, he gains Psionic Weapon (EPH 50) as a bonus feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
Speed of Thought: At 3rd level, a psychic hunter gains Speed of Thought (EPH 51) as a bonus feat.
Power Points/Day: A psychic hunter’s ability to manifest powers is limited by the power points he has available. His base daily allotment of power points is given on the table above. This number does not include the power points gained from the Wild Talent feat. In addition, he receives bonus power points per day if he has a high Wisdom score (EPH 18). His race may also provide bonus power points per day, as may certain feats and items. A psychic hunter of 6th level or lower gains no power points for his class level, but he gains bonus power points (if he is entitled to any), and can manifest the single power he knows with those power points.
Powers Known: A psychic hunter begins play without knowing any powers. Beginning at 4th level, a psychic hunter learns one power of the player’s choice, chosen from the Psychic Warrior list (EPH 73). As he goes up in level, he continues to unlock knowledge of new powers as shown on the psychic hunter class table. A psychic hunter can manifest any power that has a power point cost equal to or lower than his manifester level. Through 3rd level, a psychic hunter has no manifester level. At 4th level and higher, his caster level equals ½ his class level.
The total number of powers a psychic hunter can manifest in a day is limited only by his daily power points.
A psychic hunter simply knows his powers; they are ingrained in his mind. He does not need to prepare them (in the way that some spellcasters prepare their spells), though he must get a good night’s sleep each day to regain all his spent power points.
The Difficulty Class for saving throws against psychic hunter powers is 10 + the power’s level + the psychic hunter’s Wisdom modifier.
Maximum Power Level Known: A psychic hunter begins play without the ability to learn powers. At 4th level, he gains the ability to learn 1st level powers. As he attains higher levels, he gains the ability to master more complex powers.
To learn or manifest a power, a psychic hunter must have a Wisdom score of at least 10 + the power’s level.
Expert Hunting (Ex): At 4th level a psychic hunter’s favored enemy bonus applies on attack rolls against such creatures.
Improved Psychic Combat Style (Ex): At 6th level, a psychic hunter’s aptitude in his chosen psychic combat style (psychic archery or psychic melee) improves. If he selected psychic archery at 2nd level, he gains Greater Psionic Shot (EPH 47), even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
If the psychic hunter selected psychic melee combat at 2nd level, he gains Greater Psionic Weapon (EPH 47), even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
Woodland Stride (Ex): Starting at 7th level, a psychic hunter may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at his normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment.
However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that are enchanted or magically manipulated to impede motion still affect him.
Swift Tracker (Ex): Beginning at 8th level, a psychic hunter can move at his normal speed while following tracks without taking the normal -5 penalty. He takes only a -10 penalty (instead of the normal -20) when moving at up to twice normal speed while tracking.
Evasion (Ex): At 9th level, a psychic 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 psychic hunter is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless psychic hunter does not gain the benefit of evasion.
Psychic Combat Style Mastery (Ex): At 11th level, a psychic hunter’s aptitude in his chosen combat style (psychic archery or psychic melee) improves again. If he selected psychic archery at 2nd level, he gains Fell Shot (EPH 46) as a bonus feat, even if he doesn't meet the prerequisites.
If the psychic hunter selected psychic melee at 2nd level, he gains Deep Impact (EPH 45) as a bonus feat, even if he doesn't meet the prerequisites.
Camouflage (Ex): A psychic hunter of 13th level or higher can use the Hide skill in any sort of natural terrain, even if the terrain doesn’t grant cover or concealment.
Hide in Plain Sight (Ex): While in any sort of natural terrain, a psychic hunter of 17th level or higher can use the Hide skill even while being observed.