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Lonely Tylenol
2011-06-30, 09:53 AM
Trophy Hunter
While some who take up the sword or the bow and delve into the wild do so in pursuit of a just cause, to develop a greater sense of community with nature, or even in search of great treasures, there are still others who do so simply for the thrill of the hunt; for these intrepid adventurers, no mountain is too high, no cave too deep, and no terrain too perilous to stand between a trophy hunter and his prize. Trophy hunters pursue creatures of all types, always searching for that one legendary creature whose defeat will earn them great respect and renown among their fellow hunters.
While trophy hunting is not necessarily regarded as a good and just reason to pursue most targets, the trophy hunter is not necessarily evil--most trophy hunters are simply in pursuit of the reputation that comes from hunting the biggest prey. A trophy hunter, then, can be of any alignment (though they tend toward chaos over law), and as such, trophy hunters have been known to hunt down creatures of all types, from woodland beasts to great dragons, celestial beings to demons and devils, and even other humans (though in the case of the latter, the trophy hunter usually tends toward the bounty hunting trade).
Due to the demanding nature of the environments trophy hunters often find themselves in, rangers find themselves most naturally able to adapt to the trophy hunter's task, though scouts have been known to rise to the challenge as well. Occasionally, rogues and barbarians will carve out a niche for themselves capturing and killing increasingly tough prey for the renown it brings them, but most are dissuaded by the diverse range of challenges and opportunities the trophy hunter aspires to overcome.

Requirements
To qualify to become a trophy hunter, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Base Attack Bonus: +5.
Skills: Knowledge (nature) 5 ranks, Craft (Taxidermy) 6 ranks, Survival 8 ranks
Feats: Track, Trophy Collecting

Trophy Hunter - Hit dice: D8
{table=head]Level|Base AttackBonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+1|
+2|
+2|
+0|1st favored enemy, Trophy Collecting

2nd|
+2|
+3|
+3|
+0|Favored boon, Uncanny Dodge

3rd|
+3|
+3|
+3|
+1|2nd favored enemy, bonus feat, trophy bonus (+2)

4th|
+4|
+4|
+4|
+1|Favored boon, tremorsense 30ft.

5th|
+5|
+4|
+4|
+1|3rd favored enemy, alternate form

6th|
+6|
+5|
+5|
+2|Favored boon, trophy bonus (+4)

7th|
+7|
+5|
+5|
+2|4th favored enemy, bonus feat

8th|
+8|
+6|
+6|
+2|Favored boon, tremorsense 60ft.

9th|
+9|
+6|
+6|
+3|5th favored enemy, trophy bonus (+6)

10th|
+10|
+7|
+7|
+3|Favored boon, improved favored enemy, improved alternate form[/table]

Class Skills
The trophy hunter's class skills (and the relevant ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (all skills, taken indivually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), and Survival (Wis).
Skill points at each level: 6 + Int modifier.

Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency Trophy hunters are proficient with light armor. They gain no proficiencies with any weapon.

Favored enemy: At 1st level, a trophy hunter may select a type of creature from among those given on Table: Ranger Favored Enemies (Player's Handbook, p. 47). The trophy 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 3rd level and every two levels thereafter (5th, 7th, and 9th level), the trophy 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.

The trophy hunter's favored enemy feature combines with other classes that grant favored enemies. For instance, if a 5th-level ranger has aberration (+4) and plants (+2) and takes a level of trophy hunter, selecting dragon as their favored enemy, the dragon is treated as the character's third favored enemy, and the character can increase the favored enemy bonus for aberrations, plants or dragons by an additional +2.

Trophy Collecting: Above all else, a trophy hunter aspires to collect trophies, souvenirs of their hunts. From the 1st level onward, a trophy hunter who uses the Trophy Collecting (Player's Handbook II, page 83) to craft a trophy from an enemy who is treated as a favored enemy, the trophy hunter receives a number of benefits. First, a trophy hunter must spend ten minutes of each day either studying trophies they have on-hand (such as a creature's paw, or a necklace of teeth) or reflecting on trophies they have collected that are not with them (such as stuffed trophies) in order to receive the benefit of their favored boons.

Second, a trophy hunter can spend a full-round action focusing on a trophy they have in hand before performing a skill to receive a moral bonus on that skill equal to the number of trophies being worn.

Third, a trophy hunter can show a trophy to a favored enemy of the same type as the trophy being displayed to gain a morale bonus to an Intimidate check on that creature equal to the trophy hunter's favored enemy bonus against that creature. This Intimidate bonus stacks with the bonus granted by the trophy being used, but not the bonus granted by other trophies. If an Intimidate check to demoralize an opponent succeeds by more than 5 while displaying a trophy of that favored enemy, the enemy is instead frightened.

Favored Boon: As a trophy hunter becomes more advanced in their knowledge of the various different creatures that they are hunting, they gain a number of enhancements and abilities, otherwise known as favored boons, that use their advanced knowledge of their prey to their advantage. At 2nd level, and every two levels thereafter (4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th), a trophy hunter learns a new favored boon. Favored boons allow the trophy hunter to use their specialized knowledge to their advantage; the more they know about the creature they are hunting, the better.
The various favored boons are listed below, and are as follows:
Armor Class: A trophy hunter with this boon can anticipate the attack patterns of creatures that they have studied and pursued intensely. Trophy hunters with this boon add their Intelligence bonus (if any) as an insight bonus to their Armor Class against attacks from creatures who are listed as their favored enemy. A trophy hunter must have at least one other favored boon before they can take this boon.
Attack Rolls: A trophy hunter with this boon will always strike true. Trophy hunters with this boon add their favored enemy bonus to all attack rolls made against an enemy of the appropriate type. A trophy hunter must have at least three other boons before they can take this boon.
Critical Hits: A trophy hunter with this boon knows how to strike true against their target, and adds their favored enemy bonus as an insight bonus to rolls made to confirm critical hits.
Critical Multiplier: A trophy hunter with this boon can strike with devastating efficiency. Trophy hunters with this boon increase the critical hit multiplier of all attacks made against a favored enemy by +1. A trophy hunter must have at least three other favored boons before they can take this boon.
Fortitude Saves: A trophy hunter with this boon adds their favored enemy bonus to Fortitude saves made against enemies of the appropriate type.
Hunter's Bond: A trophy hunter with this boon can share their expertise in combat with their companions. This boon allows them to spend a move action to grant half their favored enemy bonus against a single target of the appropriate type to all allies within 30 feet who can see or hear them. This bonus lasts for a number of rounds equal to the trophy hunter's Intelligence modifier (minimum 1). This bonus does not stack with any favored enemy bonuses possessed by their allies; they use whichever bonus is higher. A trophy hunter must have at least one other favored boon before they can take this boon.
Improved Knowledge: A trophy hunter who studies an enemy well can know them better in battle. A trophy hunter with this boon can make knowledge checks untrained to identify a favored enemy. In addition, a trophy hunter gains a bonus to the knowledge roll equal to the favored enemy bonus.
Initiative: A trophy hunter is always prepared to act first when their prey is at hand. A trophy hunter with this boon adds their Intelligence modifier (if any) to their initiative modifier, up to their favored enemy bonus, when they enter combat with enemies of the appropriate type. (If a trophy hunter is entering into initiative against multiple different favored enemies, they use the highest favored enemy bonus, and ignore the rest.)
Intimidation: A trophy hunter who has earned repute as a great hunter can strike fear into the hearts of its targets. A trophy hunter with this boon can designate a single foe within 30 feet of them that they can attempt to demoralize as a free action (see the intimidate skill, page 76 of the Player's Handbook). A trophy hunter can apply their favored enemy bonus as a competence bonus for this attempt. If successful, the enemy remains shaken for the remainder of the encounter. This ability can only be used once per encounter. Regardless of whether the attempt succeeds or fails, a creature who the trophy hunter has attempted to demoralize is immune to subsequent attempts for the next 24 hours. A trophy hunter must have at least one other boon before they can take this boon.
Nonlethal damage: Sometimes, a trophy hunter would rather bring their prey back alive. Before rolling an attack roll against a favored enemy, a trophy hunter with this boon can decide to make the damage nonlethal instead, without incurring the usual -4 penalty for a nonlethal attack.
Quick Attacks: When a trophy hunter with this boon makes an attack against a favored enemy, they gain an additional attack at their highest attack bonus. A trophy hunter must have at least three other boons before they can take this boon.
Reflex Saves: A trophy hunter with this boon adds their favored enemy bonus to Reflex saves made against enemies of the appropriate type.
Will Saves: A trophy hunter with this boon adds their favored enemy bonus to Will saves made against enemies of the appropriate type.

Uncanny Dodge: At 2nd level, a trophy hunter retains their Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if they are caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, they still lose their Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. If a trophy hunter already has uncanny dodge from a different class, they automatically gain improved uncanny dodge instead.

Bonus Feats: At 3rd level, a trophy hunter gains a bonus feat, which is drawn from the Scout bonus feat list (Complete Adventurer, p. 13). At 7th level, the trophy hunter gains an additional bonus feat from this list.

Trophy Bonus: At 3rd level, a trophy hunter's trophies begin to augment his own abilities. Every trophy a trophy hunter crafts from the 3rd level on grants them a +2 bonus to any ability score of their choosing for as long as they wear it. This bonus increases to +4 at the 6th level, and +6 at the 9th level.

Tremorsense: At 4th level, a trophy hunter gains tremorsense to a range of 30 feet. A trophy hunter can detect and pinpoint any creature or object within 30 feet in contact with the ground. At 8th level, the range extends to 60 feet.

Alternate Form: At 5th level, a trophy hunter begins to see their trophies as an extension of their very selves. A trophy hunter gains the Alternate Form special ability, but may only use it to use it to transform into a creature the trophy hunter regards as a favored enemy, whose trophy they are currently wearing. The creature is considered to be the same CR as it was when it was slain for advancement purposes (meaning, a CR8 Gargantuan monstrous spider whose fang was used to make an amulet does not allow the trophy hunter to change into a Colossal monstrous spider under any circumstances, since it was a Gargantuan spider when it was slain).

Improved Favored Enemy: At 10th level, a trophy hunter has become so masterful at hunting for game that their knowledge of the creatures they fight becomes like an extension of themselves. A 10th level trophy hunter treats all favored enemy bonuses as if they were increased in increments of +4, effectively doubling their favored enemy bonuses for each creature.

[B]Improved Alternate Form: At 10th level, a trophy hunter's connection with his trophies extends beyond the creature from which the trophy was formed, and into their families. A trophy hunter can now use alternate form to change into any creature with the same creature type as a favored enemy whose trophy they are currently wearing, as long as the creature's CR is equal to or less than the trophy. For example, a trophy hunter who has made a trophy out of a CR8 Gargantuan monstrous spider can instead change into a Gargantuan monstrous centipede, since the base creature is CR6.

-----------------------------

Any thoughts on the class? I tried to give it a great deal of openness for customization, because it seems like the bonuses for this type of thing aren't exactly something you want locked in (originally, I had Knowledge, Armor Class, Intimidate, Attack Rolls and Critical Multiplier appearing as your only five, in that order). I think I may have overdone it a tad by giving the trophy hunter a double bonus to all favored enemies and full BAB progression (when initially it had 3/4 BAB progression), so I may well change that.

Have at it, Playground! Tear the trophy hunter to pieces, so he can use them to create a trophy that gives him a morale bonus to Appraise skills.

Enjoy!

Lonely Tylenol
2011-06-30, 09:38 PM
Nobody? Sad face.

eftexar
2011-06-30, 09:47 PM
I think the class is rather interesting and I like the idea of the trophies and boons. I do think that the class is a little low on power because most of its bonuses are effects that only apply to favored enemies (part of the reason I've never played a ranger).
Maybe try adding an ability that lets the trophy hunter use a boon against any foe a certain number of times a day or maybe extend the class into 20 levels and add some abilities that tie directly into having trophies.

Lonely Tylenol
2011-06-30, 10:45 PM
I think the class is rather interesting and I like the idea of the trophies and boons. I do think that the class is a little low on power because most of its bonuses are effects that only apply to favored enemies (part of the reason I've never played a ranger).
Maybe try adding an ability that lets the trophy hunter use a boon against any foe a certain number of times a day or maybe extend the class into 20 levels and add some abilities that tie directly into having trophies.

I don't know if I could reasonably extend the class to 20 levels and make it a base class, because the class is, at heart, simply a refinement of the class features of another base class. It would be analogous to making a "Thief" base class based around the Sneak Attack feature of the Rogue.

I would like some static features that are based around the trophy concept, but I'm really not sure how to work them in. The biggest problem I had is that most of the relevant bonuses that I could think to give for trophies, I had already given to boons, so giving them to trophies completely invalidates that boon against a great many creatures.

What type of bonus would you suggest I give the trophies? Maybe it's a failure of imagination on my part, but I'm starting to get desperate and fall back on spell-like abilities (True Strike 1/encounter for focusing on a trophy for a creature of the same favored enemy type?). I know there's gotta be a better solution, but it's just not coming to me!

eftexar
2011-06-30, 10:52 PM
Actually I hadn't thought of many ideas either. Maybe the trophy hunter could gain an ability from one of his favored enemies for so many days after he took a trophy of it.

Lonely Tylenol
2011-06-30, 11:14 PM
A-bi-li-ty...

I know this is completely not what you were thinking, but what do you think about the creation of a new trophy giving you a fixed ability score bonus for a number of days equal to your trophy hunter level? For instance, a 3rd-level trophy hunter gains a +4 morale bonus to Dexterity for three days after the creation of a new trophy?

Failing that... I got what you meant by a granted ability, but I'm still stumped as to what. I don't want to draw from the Ranger spell list, because at that point you could just not PrC and keep the Ranger spells, but I'm not sure how else to go about it.

eftexar
2011-06-30, 11:46 PM
What I meant was actually a little different. I was thinking more along the lines of if you killed an animal with the rend ability (and have the favored enemy feat against them) and took a trophy from it you would get rend as an ability temporarily. How you might limit or regulate this I don't know, but...

Failing that providing ability score bonuses like you said would work well. It would add the needed boost to the class and is a cool addition, but it would need some sort of limitation.

Lonely Tylenol
2011-07-01, 12:09 AM
What I meant was actually a little different. I was thinking more along the lines of if you killed an animal with the rend ability (and have the favored enemy feat against them) and took a trophy from it you would get rend as an ability temporarily. How you might limit or regulate this I don't know, but...

Oh, I see. So producing a trophy from a creature grants you an Extraordinary ability from that creature, or something to that extent?

Hmm...

My biggest concern is that being able to copy an Extraordinary ability for a fixed period of time is bound to have some sort of abuses, so I need to go about looking for the most broken abilities that I can find within, say, the Monster Manual series, and if none of them are that broken, then we're all good. Failing that, if the totem granted Alter Self 1/day in the shape of the trophy or something like that... Hmm... Merits further thinking.

I'll see what I can do.


Failing that providing ability score bonuses like you said would work well. It would add the needed boost to the class and is a cool addition, but it would need some sort of limitation.

I'll see what I can create to balance it out.

eftexar
2011-07-01, 12:14 AM
I would just go with the alter self ability. I would probably alter it though (shapeshifting spells usually have problems built into them, though I'm not sure about that one specifically).

stainboy
2011-07-01, 03:28 AM
I think you mean Alternate Form, not Alter Self. I like it though, and it even has folklore support (using wolf pelts to change into wolves and such).

I like the Ex ability thing too. I don't think the abuse potential is too big a deal; to get a broken ability the DM has to put a monster that has it in the world. I haven't done the bookwork to back this up though, and I could be missing a really common monster with a really broken Ex ability.

Btw, there's a Trophy Collector feat in PHBII that lines up a bit with your 1st level ability. You could probably use it as a bonus feat or a prereq or something if you didn't mind referencing non-OGL material.

Lonely Tylenol
2011-07-03, 04:49 AM
I think you mean Alternate Form, not Alter Self. I like it though, and it even has folklore support (using wolf pelts to change into wolves and such).

Yeah, I was thinking Alternate Form. My mind fell back on Alter Self because it's basically the Humanoid spell version of it (but that's what I was thinking). Is it worthy of being a capstone?


Btw, there's a Trophy Collector feat in PHBII that lines up a bit with your 1st level ability. You could probably use it as a bonus feat or a prereq or something if you didn't mind referencing non-OGL material.

I think I'll be using it as a pre-req.

I will be retooling the whole class with a new emphasis on trophies and their usefulness.

Thanks, guys!

ERRATA - 07/03/2011:
- Replaced the "Endurance" feat requirement with "Trophy Collecting".
- Adjusted the "Trophy Collecting" level 1 bonus (but have not renamed it; not sure what to change it to), so that the bonuses apply when worn (and are more powerful the more trophies you wear).
- Added the "Trophy Bonus" ability (+2 at 3rd level, +4 at 6th level, +6 at 9th level).
- Added the "Alternate Form" and "Improved Alternate Form" abilities (Alternate Form at 5th level, Improved Alternate Form at 10th)
- Moved the "Tremorsense" ability (scaled it down to 30ft at 4th level, 60ft at 8th level).

Lonely Tylenol
2011-07-04, 09:14 PM
Bump; is there anything I can do to further better this class? Did I go overboard with the current revisions? Questions need answers!