[Class] Hunter

[Fax Celestis]

Hunters are psychically focused cullers and maintainers of the wild. They are similar to rangers in that they are attuned more to the wilds than to cities, but their prey can be--and sometimes is--humanoid.

Hunters learn their psychic powers mostly through trial and error, not through any specific training like some other psionic classes. Due to this, they have a smaller connection with psionic powers than other, trained classes--and, consequently, have lower power points per day and powers known than almost any other class. Their powers also come from a very limited list. In essence, a hunter uses his psychic powers as an aid, not as a means to an end.

Good-aligned hunters attempt to maintain the natural order in the wild--or act as scouts in the service of a militia or military. Evil-aligned hunters usually act as assassins, thieves, or--in extreme cases--destroyers of nature.

Hunter Class Features
HD: d6

Skills: A hunter chooses three skill sets. 4 + Int skill points per level, x4 at first level.

Prowess: A hunter gains four points of prowess each level.

Proficiencies: A hunter is proficient with all simple weapons, with all bows, and with light armor (but not shields).

Power Points Per Day: A 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. In addition, he receives bonus power points per day if he has a high Wisdom score. His race may also provide bonus power points per day, as may certain feats and items.

Powers Known: A hunter begins play knowing one power of your choice. He learns new powers at the levels listed on the table

Choose the powers known from the psion and psychic warrior power lists. You cannot choose powers from restricted disciplines. A hunter can manifest any power that has a power point cost equal to or lower than his manifester level.

The number of times a hunter can manifest powers in a day is limited only by his daily power points.

A 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 hunter powers is 10 + the power's level + the hunter's Wisdom modifier.

Maximum Power Level Known: A hunter begins play with the ability to learn 1st-level powers. As he attains higher levels, a hunter may gain the ability to master more complex powers.

To learn or manifest a power, a hunter must have a Wisdom score of at least 10 + the power's level.

Strafe (Ex): A hunter learns how to move while attacking. Starting at 1st level, a hunter can make ranged attacks while moving. He can move both before and after an attack, provided that his total distance moved is not greater than his speed. During a strafe, he is allowed a single shot, as if he were making a standard attack action (not a full-attack). Performing a strafe is a full-round action that can be used only if the hunter is wearing light armor or no armor.

While strafing, the hunter deals an extra 1d6 points of damage. This is untyped precision damage, similar to that gained by a rogue's sneak attack. Creatures immune to critical hits or without a discernible anatomy (such as an ooze) are immune to the extra damage from a strafe. This damage increases by 1d6 every six levels, to 2d6 at 7th, 3d6 at 13th, and 4d6 at 19th. He also gains a bonus on attack rolls made during a strafe: +1 at 4th, +2 at 10th, and +3 at 16th.

At 4th level, and every six levels after (10th and 16th), the hunter gains the ability to make extras shots while moving. He must move at least 5' between each shot. Each shot deals extra damage and uses its own attack rolls. The second shot is made at the hunter's base attack bonus -5, the third at -10, and the fourth at -15--as if they were iterative attacks made in a full-attack.

Point Blank Shot: A hunter gains Point Blank Shot as a bonus feat at first level.

Movement Speed (Ex): A hunter's land speed is faster than most others of his kind. He gains a 10' enhancement bonus to his land speed at second level. This increases to +20' at 8th, +30' at 14th, and +40' at 20th. This ability can be used only if the hunter is wearing light armor or no armor.

Track: A hunter gains the Track feat as a bonus feat at second level.

Rapid Shot: A hunter gains Rapid Shot as a bonus feat at third level.

Bonus Archery Feat: A hunter gains a bonus archery-related feat at 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th levels. He can gain any feat that has Point Blank Shot as a prerequisite at those levels as long as he meets the prerequisites.

Evasion (Ex): At 9th level or higher, if a hunter 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 hunter is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless hunter does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Woodland Stride (Ex): Starting at 11th level, a 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.

Improved Evasion (Ex): At 17th level, a hunter's evasion ability improves. He still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks, but henceforth he takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless hunter does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.

Hunter Progression
{table=head]Level | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | PP Per Day | Powers Known | Max Level
1st | +0 | +0 | +2 | +2 | Strafe (+1d6/+0, 1 Shot), Point Blank Shot | 3 | 1 | 1st
2nd | +1 | +0 | +3 | +3 | Movement Speed +10', Track | 6 | 2 | 1st
3rd | +2 | +1 | +3 | +3 | Rapid Shot | 9 | 2 | 1st
4th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Strafe (+1d6/+1, 2 Shots) | 12 | 3 | 1st
5th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Bonus Archery Feat | 15 | 4 | 1nd
6th | +4 | +2 | +5 | +5 | - | 18 | 4 | 2nd
7th | +5 | +2 | +5 | +5 | Strafe (+2d6/+1, 2 Shots) | 21 | 5 | 2nd
8th | +6/+1 | +2 | +6 | +6 | Movement Speed +20' | 24 | 6 | 2nd
9th | +6/+1 | +3 | +6 | +6 | Evasion | 27 | 6 | 2nd
10th | +7/+2 | +3 | +7 | +7 | Strafe (+2d6/+2, 3 Shots), Bonus Archery Feat | 30 | 7 | 2nd
11th | +8/+3 | +3 | +7 | +7 | Woodland Stride | 33 | 8 | 3rd
12th | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +8 | - | 36 | 8 | 3rd
13th | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +8 | Strafe (+3d6/+2, 3 Shots) | 39 | 9 | 3rd
14th | +10/+5 | +4 | +9 | +9 | Movement Speed +30' | 42 | 10 | 3rd
15th | +11/+6/+1 | +5 | +9 | +9 | Bonus Archery Feat | 45 | 10 | 3rd
16th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +10 | Strafe (+3d6/+3, 4 Shots) | 48 | 11 | 4th
17th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +10 | Improved Evasion | 51 | 12 | 4th
18th | +13/+8/+3 | +6 | +11 | +11 | - | 54 | 12 | 4th
19th | +14/+9/+4 | +6 | +11 | +11 | Strafe (+4d6/+3, 4 Shots) | 57 | 13 | 4th
20th | +15/+10/+5 | +6 | +12 | +12 | Bonus Archery Feat, Movement Speed +40' | 60 | 14 | 4th[/table]

[TheOOB]

An interesting class to be sure, kinda like a psionic ranger/scout hybrid. One concern I have is the apparent lack of a capstone ability, for the last few levels of the class there is no abilities that arn't just improvements to existing abilities, nothing that seems to reward me for taking the class 1-20.

[Fax Celestis]

I really couldn't think of a capstone, honestly. Of course, there is the bit about getting your fourth attack while strafing at 16th and improved evasion at 17th.

[Fizban]

Okay, I get how the extra attacks during strafe essentially give you as many attacks as a full BAB character, but why start giving the extras at 4th? It gets it's second attack 2 levels before BAB would grant one, it's third 1 level before, and it's fourth at the same level. It just seems a little weird to me.

Other than that, great concept and execution, nice touch giving out the rapid shot feat out for free, and an interesting idea effectively giving it a full four attacks yet with only 3/4 BAB.

[Fax Celestis]

Okay, I get how the extra attacks during strafe essentially give you as many attacks as a full BAB character, but why start giving the extras at 4th? It gets it's second attack 2 levels before BAB would grant one, it's third 1 level before, and it's fourth at the same level. It just seems a little weird to me.

Other than that, great concept and execution, nice touch giving out the rapid shot feat out for free, and an interesting idea effectively giving it a full four attacks yet with only 3/4 BAB.
Two reasons: Rapid Shot, and even level spacing.

[Vhaidara]

Another problem I see there is with Manyshot, which they would gain with a bonus feat. I think this gives them about 8 attack.

[Fax Celestis]

Um, Strafing is a full-round action with specific limits. Manyshot and Strafe can't be used in the same round.

[Vhaidara]

Sorry, I didn't read the whole thing. Big paragraphs tend to lead to my skimming.

[brian c]

I'm not all that into Psionics, so I don't have a whole lot to say. However, when I first opened this thread, I thought "huh, Hunter, so they probably have tracking and archery", but apparently I was mistaken about Track... it seems like that would be a good thing for a Hunter to have though.

[Fax Celestis]

I'm not all that into Psionics, so I don't have a whole lot to say. However, when I first opened this thread, I thought "huh, Hunter, so they probably have tracking and archery", but apparently I was mistaken about Track... it seems like that would be a good thing for a Hunter to have though.

Good call! Add it at, say...2nd?

[Breaon]

You might want to condition some of the gained abilities (extra movement, strafe, etc.) to work only while in light armor, like the rangers/barbarians/rogues. Otherwise, it's a simple feat and bam, this kid has a much better AC potential; Mithral fullplate anyone?

[Fax Celestis]

You might want to condition some of the gained abilities (extra movement, strafe, etc.) to work only while in light armor, like the rangers/barbarians/rogues. Otherwise, it's a simple feat and bam, this kid has a much better AC potential; Mithral fullplate anyone?

Ohdamn, that's also a good point, and one I was intending to implement in the idea-stage that somehow slipped through the cracks.

EDIT: Should be fixed now.

[Akennedy]

I just have one question...
When he can strafe and fire 4 shots, does his last shot have a +0 "base attack bonus" to it?

[Fax Celestis]

Yup. It'll be at AB/AB-5/AB-10/AB-15, so it'd be, with a Dex of 10 (not likely) and not counting the accuracy bonuses from strafe: 15/10/5/0. Of course, if you add in the accuracy bonuses, it turns into 18/13/8/3. Couple this with a Dex 22 (not unlikely), and it becomes 24/19/14/9.

[Akennedy]

Fax - Umm.. I really, really like this class... and i was wondering about something:
Would it be balanced if you took away the psionic part of it, and made "strafe" apply to both melee and ranged attacks?

[Fax Celestis]

Possibly...probably, in fact. I would say that psionic powers are far more useful than being able to make a series of attacks while moving that require you to move between their uses.

[Hawriel]

Would it not be more fitting for a hunter to have sneak attack? I meen if the consept is to be a hunter then they would want a single clean one shot kill, they dont run after the pray shooting. also setting and disabling traps would fit.

[Fax Celestis]

Would it not be more fitting for a hunter to have sneak attack? I meen if the consept is to be a hunter then they would want a single clean one shot kill, they dont run after the pray shooting. also setting and disabling traps would fit.

This is not an animal hunter/trapper. This is a manhunter, woods-guardian, etc.

[Hawriel]

ok just the way I see it weather its a bear a deer or a man a single arrow to the heart or a fall in a tyger pit works for any of them

[Gralamin]

A Mobile fighter with some psionics, that works. I like.

[Human Paragon 3]

Ah, fantastic! You should probably specify whether you use the higher level or the lower level when a power appears on both Psion and Psychic Warior spell list. I assume you'd want the lower, since the hunter only gains up to 4th level powers.

This is an amazing class. Simple, potent, and unique. Great work.

[MammonAzrael]

This sounds like the Hunter has quite a large power list to select powers from. But I'm not well versed in psionics, so I'll trust that this is a good call (assuming you don't make a custom list for it while going through d20r).
I also find it odd that you gain your "iterative attacks" with Strafe earlier than a full BAB class would get them. I think it's good that you have to balance it against Rapid Shot. Perhaps move them to 6th/12th/18th levels, since those currently don't offer any class features?
It doesn't gain a new power at 6th level when you gain 2nd lv powers. I see the progression patterns, but this just seems a little odd. Perhaps tweaking is in order, or did you intend it like this?
Will saves seems like a good candidate for medium progression saves, instead of good.
I agree that the final levels seem a bit underwhelming. Perhaps some type of boost to their powers (That could also be a progression thing to help with the "dead" levels)? Maybe some type of Save or Suck/Die attack? I dunno, this one is tough...I'll keep pondering though.


Overall, a very good Archery focused class.

[Shadow_Elf]

How about something like this for a capstone?

Bewildering Strafe (Ex):
Whenever you hit an enemy with an attack fired as part of your Strafe class feature, that enemy takes a penalty to attack rolls against you equal to half the total number of squares you moved as part of Strafe after hitting them until the end of your next turn.

I don't play 3.5e (at all), so I don't know how balanced this would be, but it plays to psionic mind-games as well as archery and the very cool Strafe class feature.