Blade Hunter [PrC](major edit on capstone)

[Jalil]

In a world filled with powerful and dangerous magic of the forgotten past, there are those who keep these magics hidden from the world. The ancient Elven kingdoms and empires have passed, leaving only their secrets and magic behind. In an age of elven supremacy, they discovered powerful arcane might, and had the dwarfs work alongside them to forge great items of immense strength. With these, the elves and dwarfs flourished, conquering almost all the known world. Even the early Pantherians¹ feared their power.

In this age, an elite set of nature's warriors, meant to protect the lands of the empire and keep the powerful weapons and magic a secret. Infusing them with these magics, teaching them how to use this deep and powerful natural magic. Skilled with bows, and taught the way of close combat, they made these elves and dwarfs into killing and hunting machines. After one hundred years of conquest and rule, the greed and maddening lust for more powerful spells and artefacts lead the empire to it's downfall.

Soon, they began to fall to treachery, and fought amongst themselves for control. The Pantherians took advantage of the chaos and ended the reign of the Elves and Dwarfs. Though the empire was gone, the ruins remained, and the magical creations of the fallen scattered across the land, waiting for someone to come along and find them, to drive them mad with lust for power.

Without an empire to fight for, the Hunters crafted a concealed pact with their fellow Blades to protect the world from these magics guarding the ruins. Hiding items, safeguarding ancient scrolls and other items, guarding the ruins from outsiders. Dwarfs and elves kept this order secret from the world, only allowing the worthy access to their ranks, training them in the arts of combat and the magic of nature.

1. A race of Catfolk-like beings, a powerful race of warrior-type, magic hating imperialists.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Requirements
Attack Bonus: +5
Race: Elf, Half-elf, or Dwarf
Skills: 5 ranks in each Concentration, Handle Animal, Hide, Knowledge: (Nature or Geography), Listen, Move Silently, Search, Spot, and Survival.
Feats: TWF or Rapid Shot, Track, Weapon Focus(any)
Special: Must be selected by a Hunter to join.

Classes: Most Blade Hunters are rangers. Their combat prowess combined with their good skill points and selection get them into this class far easiest. Barbarians, Nature-loving fighters, nature-oriented Clerics, Strong druids, or wild rogues make up the remaining ranks of the Blades. Wizards, and bards rarely become blades. Wizards are dangerous around such powerful dweomers, bards too connected to the city, and find it hard to keep secrets.

Abilities: Dex helps in ranged fighting, and strength for melee. Wisdom will help the Blade with spells.

Alignment: While individuals bend towards Chaotic Good while working in the Blades, the organization favors balance and neutrality. They will only accept non-evil members.

Blade Hunter
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|

+1

|

+2

|

+2

|

+0

|Animal Affinity, Weapon Specialization |

2nd|

+2

|

+3

|

+3

|

+0

|Elemental Touch +1d6|
3rd|

+3

|

+3

|

+3

|

+1

| Far Shot|

4th|

+4

|

+4

|

+4

|

+1

|Favored Enemy, Elemental Touch +2d6|
5th|

+5

|

+4

|

+4

|

+1

|Mark of the Beast|

6th|

+6/+1

|

+5

|

+5

|

+2

|Combat Jump, Elemental Touch +3d6|
7th|

+7/+2

|

+6

|

+6

|

+2

|-|
8th|

+8/+3

|

+6

|

+6

|

+3

|Elemental Touch +4d6, Favored Enemy|

9th|

+9/+4

|

+7

|

+7

|

+3

|Weapon Mastery|
10th|

+10/+5

|

+7

|

+7

|

+3

|Inner Beast, Elemental Touch +5| [/table]

Class Features:
Level 1
Animal Affinity: As Wild empathy. If the character already has wild empathy, he gets Skill Focus(Diplomacy) as a bonus feat instead.
Weapon Specialization: The Blade Hunter gets Weapon Specialization as a bonus feat with his Focused weapon

Level 2
Elemental Touch: A Hunter is taught to channel the elements around him into his attacks. As a swift action, a hunter can activate this ability. Until the end of this turn, he adds one d6 per 2 levels of elemental damage that varies depending on his environment.
Water: Cold
Solid Ground: Acid
Thin Air: Electric
Bright Light: Fire
Darkness: Sonic
If there is overlap, The Hunter may choose.

Level 3
Far Shot: Far Shot as a bonus feat.

Level 4
Favored enemy: As ranger. He may choose again at level 8.

Level 5
Mark of the Beast: The hunter gets a +2 Sacred bonus on one of his attributes. He chooses an animal totem related to the corresponding transmutation spell.

Level 6
Combat Jump: Leap Attack as a bonus feat

Level 9
Weapon Mastery: Melee/Ranged Weapon Mastery, depending on his focused weapon.

Level 10
Inner beast: The hunter may take a swift action to activate this ability.(this precludes the use of his elemental touch). Harness the cold deadly accuracy of thie wild, he attacks those spots that his opponents armor fail to protect. Until the end of his turn, his weapons are treated as if they were brilliant energy weapons. If they already are, he may make touch attacks in place of normal attack rolls. In addition, he may add his wisdom to damage. This ability can be used 3/day.
EDIT:
changed Darkness.
Fixed Entry req's
Massive change to capstone

[jjpickar]

Force damage is way to good, use sonic for darkness. Other than that it looks fine to me.

[Jalil]

Is that all there is to say? I had expected some more review than this...

[jjpickar]

It looked cool to me.

[Jalil]

So I take it this is balanced then?

[Foucault]

Give it some time before you pronounce it closed. Some more people are bound to look at it.

As for balance, the requirements are pretty harsh. As a ranger you need 16 Int to qualify in the five levels it looks like you're going for. For anyone but a Bard, Ranger, or Rouge its impossible in five. Most PRC's that I've seen require 3 or less skills. It gives room for there still the be variation in the class. Especially given that none of the class's abilities require any of those skills in any mechanical way, its very heavy.

The three feats is also pretty intense. It makes it so only Rangers can qualify before level 6, and only if they use both their feats. Two might be more in line; I'd drop Alertness first.

Finally, you have three ways of limiting minimum level in the requirements currently. The BAB and Skills both make the minimum level 5, and the Feats make it 6 unless the characters a ranger. This is kind of redundant, you only really need one. I'd drop the BAB or keep the BAB and lower the Skills the character has to have it, but not max it.

All in all I like the idea, but the entry requirements are a bit strict. Thats just my verbose two cents.

[Jalil]

Alright, fixed the entry req's.

What do you think about the capstone? I think it's a little weak...

[Matthew]

Yeah, I would tend to agree with you. The Cap Stone is a bit on the weak side.

[Jalil]

There. Far less damage, but an equal amount more accurate. There might be some benefit to TWF Power attacks there.