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View Full Version : DM Help Mortal Hunter: Is it just Favored Enemy (Mortal)



Jowgen
2021-05-02, 10:52 AM
The BoVD's Mortal Hunter's signature ability is worded as follows:


Mortal Hunting (Ex): A mortal hunter gains a bonus against mortals due to its extensive study of them and training in the proper combat techniques. The mortal hunter gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls against mortals and the same bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot,
and Wilderness Lore checks when using these skills against mortals. The damage bonus applies to ranged weapons only against targets within 30 feet (the mortal hunter cannot strike with deadly accuracy beyond that range). The bonus does not apply to damage against creatures that are immune to critical hits. At 3rd, 6th, and 9th level, the mortal hunter’s bonus associated with mortals goes up by +1. This bonus stacks with a ranger’s favored enemy bonus.

For comparison, this is the 3.0 description of the Ranger's Favored Enemy ability.


Due to his extensive study of his foes and training in the proper techniques for combating them, the ranger gains a +1 bonus to Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Wilderness Lore checks when using these skills against this type of creature. Likewise, he gets the same bonus to weapon damage rolls against creatures of this type. A ranger also gets the damage bonus with ranged weapons, but only against targets within 30 feet (the ranger cannot strike with deadly accuracy beyond that range). The bonus doesn’t apply to damage against creatures that are immune to critical hits.

Obviously they are functionally the same thing, and the sample character on page 168 even has the two abilities listed together as "Favored Enemy/Mortal Hunting (Ex):", but is there any sort of FAQ, or word of God, or anything of the sort that would provide RAW support for updating Mortal Hunting according to the Favored Enemy update?


EDIT: Mortal Hunter is marginally different in that it applies to both Attack and Damage, but that's hardly a big one.

ShurikVch
2021-05-02, 11:08 AM
1) Mortal Hunting is much greater in scope: if Favored Enemy must be picked separately for Animals, Aberrations, Dragons, Fey, Giants, Magical Beasts, Monstrous Humanoids, Oozes, Vermins, and every single kind of Humanoids (separately) - Mortal Hunting routinely encompassing them all (except, maybe, some Fey and Aberrations may not count as "mortal", and creatures with divine ranks are definitely out too)
2) Since Mortal Hunting, despite being vastly alike to Favored Enemy, is still not Favored Enemy - bonuses should stack

Jowgen
2021-05-02, 11:12 AM
1) Mortal Hunting is much greater in scope: if Favored Enemy must be picked separately for Animals, Aberrations, Dragons, Fey, Giants, Magical Beasts, Monstrous Humanoids, Oozes, Vermins, and every single kind of Humanoids (separately) - Mortal Hunting routinely encompassing them all (except, maybe, some Fey and Aberrations may not count as "mortal", and creatures with divine ranks are definitely out too)
2) Since Mortal Hunting, despite being vastly alike to Favored Enemy, is still not Favored Enemy - bonuses should stack

Favored Enemy (Arcanist) and Favored Enemy (Evil) do exist, and in the case of Evil expicitly stacks, so there is precendent for that at least.

noob
2021-05-02, 11:25 AM
Favored Enemy (Arcanist) and Favored Enemy (Evil) do exist, and in the case of Evil expicitly stacks, so there is precendent for that at least.

Was not favoured enemy (evil) limited to evil outsiders?

Jowgen
2021-05-02, 12:49 PM
Was not favoured enemy (evil) limited to evil outsiders?

That's FE (Outsider Evil), I am referring toe FE (Evil), which is granted by the PrCs Stalker of Kharash and Harper Paragon.

Jowgen
2021-05-02, 04:51 PM
Nevermind folks, found it in a sample statblock in Dragon 361 p. 20


Mortal Hunting (Ex) This ability functions like the ranger's favored class ability except that it applies to all creatures other than constructs, fey, outsiders, and undead. The bonuses from this ability stack with Giorge's favored enemy bonus.