advice on bounty hunting

[blelliot]

Me and my gf are joining a game on tuesday , she playing a CG human bbn, I playing a NG druid. DM says PH only for now, and I was wondering, how would a team of bounty hunters work w/o a ranger. Neither she nor I wish to play a ranger, so I burned track as my human bonus feat. And what animal companion would be good for a bounty hunter? Plmk your opinions and advice. Also we are both ninth level. Any questions please ask. Thanks everyone!

[theIrkin]

instead of taking track yourself, the druid's animal companion could be an animal with track (like a wolf). that way you don't have to worry about using up the feat, and the wolf is a decent low level companion. also, trip weapons are awesome and fit in the concept of bounty hunters, so you can give your barbarian a gisarme or whip (or use that feat for spiked chain proficiency). your problem may be social skills, but i only say that because i'm not too well versed in the druid's class skills.

[eggynack]

instead of taking track yourself, the druid's animal companion could be an animal with track (like a wolf). that way you don't have to worry about using up the feat, and the wolf is a decent low level companion. also, trip weapons are awesome and fit in the concept of bounty hunters, so you can give your barbarian a gisarme or whip (or use that feat for spiked chain proficiency). your problem may be social skills, but i only say that because i'm not too well versed in the druid's class skills.
Basically this, except replace the wolf with a riding dog. It's better in nearly every way. They both also get scent, so that's helpful as well. Getting track on your own is thus unnecessary, if it wasn't before the riding dog entered the equation. Also, druids have diplomacy, and due to wild shape, they can actually afford a neutral or even decent charisma. With those two factors in place, the druid can actually make a reasonable party face, and do so without sacrificing much. Such is the way of the druid.

[NevinPL]

...I was wondering, how would a team of bounty hunters work w/o a ranger.
Ranger is more about killing, than capturing (although it has some nice buffs for tracking, etc.), so IMO it will work well, unless your DM is posting bounties just for capturing dead ones.


Neither she nor I wish to play a ranger, so I burned track as my human bonus feat.
Well, if your DM moves to other books Magic Item Compendium has Mask of the Tiger which gives you Track, just for 4k. And PHB II has the retraining options, so you can get your feat "back".


And what animal companion would be good for a bounty hunter?
That which will help you do your job - with Track, Scent, bonus to Survival, some incapacitation, grapple abilities, etc.
For weapons Bolas, Net, things that do non-lethal damage. Maybe some "knock-out" poisons, if your DM will allow DMG.

[ahenobarbi]

instead of taking track yourself, the druid's animal companion could be an animal with track (like a wolf). that way you don't have to worry about using up the feat, and the wolf is a decent low level companion. also, trip weapons are awesome and fit in the concept of bounty hunters, so you can give your barbarian a gisarme or whip (or use that feat for spiked chain proficiency). your problem may be social skills, but i only say that because i'm not too well versed in the druid's class skills.

This. Consider getting merciful (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm#merciful) weapons so you can knock out your target instead of killing it.

Also get a rope so you can tie your target (and consider getting some boosts to the check, skill ranks, dex boosts, Animate Rope (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/animateRope.htm), ...) and manacles (harder to break than rope, especially adamantine), maybe some poison to make escape even harder. And don't let the target rest properly (tired penalizes Dex and Str). Maybe put Glyph of Waring (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/glyphOfWarding.htm) on manacles to hit target with something if it manages to break anyways.

[captain fubar]

if tou dont want to play somthing with the tracking feat alternatives include:

playing a caster and using divinations to find your target.

using metamorphysis /wildshape /polymorph and asume a utility form suited for the task.

buying animal to track for you and poting points into handle animal.

using social skills to get info on the target from others.

set some sort of trap to bring the target to you. though you might have to het into his head a bit to know what sort of bait to use.

anticipate some wher the target will eventualy want to go and wait
for exalple if the bounty is for theivery hes probibly going to be looking for a fence soon.

[ksbsnowowl]

Although it sounds like you are starting at 1st level, eventually the Druid will be able to wildshape into a wolf, and gain Track as a bonus feat.

In the mean time, have a wolf or riding dog companion, and possibly make use of the Aspect of the Wolf spell, if Spell Compendium becomes allowed (can't recall if that gives you scent/track).

[blelliot]

Actually we will be ninth level

[SethoMarkus]

This is all fine and dandy for wilderness tracking, trying to hunt down bounties that are in the wilds, but don't short change urban tracking. Gather Information will be useful to find a criminal in hiding in a large town, especially if it is a busy city with paved roads.

Maybe look into magic items of divination and scrying, as well. Faerie Fire could be useful in a chase, too- prevents the bounty from using a crowd as a distraction to get away.

[PraxisVetli]

maybe consider a lvl or two in rogue, use the SP to dump the city-slicker skills?
also, if you've already got the druid grabbin the animal companion, grab Flanking Shot from PHII, flat footed people are much easier to hog-tie in my experience. Also would look nice in combo with the sneak d6's from rogue.

If you find yourself traveling a lot, I played a Ranger recently that dabbled in Horizon Walker, its not bad. Not a lot for damage, but its a good supplementary class.
Edit:
NVM all of that, im talkin out my wazoo. I misread everything entirely..

[ksbsnowowl]

Actually we will be ninth level

Then you should be able to wildshape into a Wolf and get Track.

Well, I guess that depends which version of Wildshape your DM is using. I know you originally got any bonus feats of the form assumed. Maybe the final errata to Alternate Form did away with that?

[eggynack]

Then you should be able to wildshape into a Wolf and get Track.

Well, I guess that depends which version of Wildshape your DM is using. I know you originally got any bonus feats of the form assumed. Maybe the final errata to Alternate Form did away with that?
I don't think that there's any version of wild shape that gives you track. By my understanding, the original form of wild shape was based on polymorph, which doesn't seem to give feats. The errata'd version, which is based off of alternate form, absolutely doesn't give you feats. Thus, featlessness. To the OP, if you're at level nine, then maybe pick a different animal companion that has track. Most of them do. Deinonychus seems pretty good, given its +10 to survival checks. It's really an up to you sort of thing, but the main goal here is that your pet will ultimately be handling the tracking portion of your build.

[ksbsnowowl]

I don't think that there's any version of wild shape that gives you track. By my understanding, the original form of wild shape was based on polymorph, which doesn't seem to give feats. The errata'd version, which is based off of alternate form, absolutely doesn't give you feats.

You are correct on the errata'd version based on alternate form. The version published in the PHB, however, is based on Polymorph, and inherits this nice little clause from Alter Self:


You acquire the physical qualities of the new form while retaining your own mind. Physical qualities include natural size, mundane movement capabilities (such as burrowing, climbing, walking, swimming, and flight with wings, to a maximum speed of 120 feet for flying or 60 feet for nonflying movement), natural armor bonus, natural weapons (such as claws, bite, and so on), racial skill bonuses, racial bonus feats, and any gross physical qualities (presence or absence of wings, number of extremities, and so forth). ...
Wolf
...
Feats: TrackB, Weapon Focus (bite)

[eggynack]

You are correct on the errata'd version based on alternate form. The version published in the PHB, however, is based on Polymorph, and inherits this nice little clause from Alter Self:
I'm aware, but that doesn't make your point any less in error. The PHB lists it as polymorph, but the errata for that very book changes wild shape irrevocably to being alter self based. The rules for wild shape in the PHB aren't a "version" of the rules. They're just not rules. There's not really anything in the way of counterargument on that issue.

[Zanos]

I'm aware, but that doesn't make your point any less in error. The PHB lists it as polymorph, but the errata for that very book changes wild shape irrevocably to being alter self based. The rules for wild shape in the PHB aren't a "version" of the rules. They're just not rules. There's not really anything in the way of counterargument on that issue.
The game in question is PH only, so it's possible that they are using the older version without the errata.

[eggynack]

The game in question is PH only, so it's possible that they are using the older version without the errata.
Well, the errata errata's the original book, so the original is technically just incorrect on this count. Such is the nature of errata. Either way, here (https://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/er/20040125a) is the location of errata, for those that desire a rules accurate game, but lack the resources to act on those desires.

Edit: Also, just as a sidenote, wild shaping for scent purposes seems dreadfully inefficient. It seems like a trivial task to acquire an animal companion with scent, so it's just a generally better option for the most part.

[ksbsnowowl]

I'm aware, but that doesn't make your point any less in error. The PHB lists it as polymorph, but the errata for that very book changes wild shape irrevocably to being alter self based. The rules for wild shape in the PHB aren't a "version" of the rules. They're just not rules. There's not really anything in the way of counterargument on that issue.

Apparently you weren't aware, as you stated "I don't think that there's any version of wild shape that gives you track." And there certainly is counter argument, as I specifically allowed for the possibility that it might not work based upon what version of wild shape his DM is using. What the errata and official rules of the moment say doesn't matter one whit; what matters is what version of wild shape his DM uses.

Many groups merely go by what is printed in the books, and errata be damned (so long as the book version works), because in many ways it is cleaner. I can pretty much guarantee you that any 3.5 games being played 10 years from now, most of them will just use the book version of things, or have some house rule to handle difficulties.