Hunter of Fiends

[tedcahill2]

Would you allow a paladin to take a modified hunter of fiends alternative class feature that gives favored enemy arcanist instead of outside (evil)? Since arcanists are likely to be more common than demons/devils I think the bonus might need to come down, maybe to that of the regular favored enemy progression of +1/5 levels, and instead of adding knowledge (the planes) it adds knowledge (arcane).

You actively seek out demons and devils to slay rather than waiting for them to come to you.

Level: 1st.

Replaces: If you choose this ability you lose the ability to smite evil and give up Knowledge (royalty and nobility) as a class skill.

Benefit: You gain outsider (evil) as a favored enemy, as the ranger ability, except the bonus you gain equals half your paladin level (minimum +1). You gain no additional favored enemies at later levels. In addition, you gain Track as a bonus feat and Survival and Knowledge (the planes) as class skills.

[Troacctid]

I don't think that would make thematic sense the way outsider (evil) does.

[tedcahill2]

I don't think that would make thematic sense the way outsider (evil) does.

My theme isn't demon-slayer paladin. It's witch hunter (sort of an anti hexblade).

[Troacctid]

And that isn't a great fit for the ethos of the core Paladin class. I'd encourage that player to look into prestige classes instead, or multiclass into Ranger.

[tedcahill2]

And that isn't a great fit for the ethos of the core Paladin class. I'd encourage that player to look into prestige classes instead, or multiclass into Ranger.

The paladin actually has all the right ACFs to make the idea work, for the most part.

Divine grace boosts saves.
Aura of Resolve protects him from compulsions, replaces of Aura of Courage.
Divine Counterspell counters spells, replaces Turn Undead.
Divine Spirit is a thematic counter to a Hexblade's Dark Companion, replaces Mount.
Remove curse/break enchantment counters Hexblade's Curse, replaces remove disease.

Lay on Hands and Smite don't thematically fit, but everything else does. I haven't found any appropriate ACFs for Lay on Hands, but a refluff of Hunter of Fiends to Arcanists would be a thematically appropriate replacement for Smite Evil.

[Troacctid]

Smite evil work just fine against evil arcanists, doesn't it? Especially if you take the 5th level Mystic Fire Knight substitution.

[tedcahill2]

Smite evil work just fine against evil arcanists, doesn't it? Especially if you take the 5th level Mystic Fire Knight substitution.

Sure, it's just not quite what I wanted.

[Jowgen]

I don't think this particular instance of alternative class feature chaining works, as it says "you gain evil outsiders as a favored enemy, as the ranger ability, except...".

What you would need is the Avenging Paladin variant from Unearthed Arcana 58, as that nets you "favored enemy (as ranger...", which should work as you gain it as if you were a ranger, allowing you to qualify the same way a 1st level ranger does. That variant interestingly looses you stuff only from later levels, so you can actually combine it with Hunter of Fiends to get 2 Favored Enemies at once.

[tedcahill2]

I don't think this particular instance of alternative class feature chaining works, as it says "you gain evil outsiders as a favored enemy, as the ranger ability, except...".

What you would need is the Avenging Paladin variant from Unearthed Arcana 58, as that nets you "favored enemy (as ranger...", which should work as you gain it as if you were a ranger, allowing you to qualify the same way a 1st level ranger does. That variant interestingly looses you stuff only from later levels, so you can actually combine it with Hunter of Fiends to get 2 Favored Enemies at once.

I just want to know if it's a fair and balanced trade. I'm not looking for a RAW way to do it.

[Jowgen]

I just want to know if it's a fair and balanced trade. I'm not looking for a RAW way to do it.

Ah. Well then, yeah. There is plenty of precedent for Smite and Favored Enemy being considered equal in value, no reason why Arcanist would be an exception, as long as it's prereque is met.