The Hunter (formerly "The Non-Hippie Ranger")

[CatharzGodfoot]

Hunter
"...."

Playing a Hunter: The Hunter is a woodsman and master of unfair fighting. She uses poison, traps, and hit-and-run tactics to destroy her enemies.

Alignment: Any.

Races: Any.

Starting Gold: 4d6x10 gp (140 gold)

Starting Age: As Barbarian.

Hit Die: d8
Class Skills: The Hunter’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Handle Animal (Cha), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Revised Class Skills: Acrobatics (Dex), Athletics (Str), Empathy (Wis), Hide (Dex), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Ride (Cha), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis).
Skills/Level: 6 + Intelligence Bonus
BAB: Good (1/1), Saves: Fort: Good; Reflex: Good; Will: Poor

Level, Benefit
1 Hunter, Wilderness Lore
2 Camouflage, Poison Use
3 Stealth of the Pack, Subtle Cut
4 Craft of the Hunter, Herbalism
5 Trapper's Art, Frogs & Mushrooms
6 Survivalist, Whirlwind
7 Master Herbalism, Skirmish +1d6/+1 (that's how it works, right?)

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Hunters are proficient with simple weapons, martial axes, martial bows, and light armor.

Wilderness Lore: A Hunter can use her Survival skill in place of Search, Knowledge (dungeoneering), and Knowledge (nature). If you require characters to have the Track feat to use survival for tracking, the Hunter gets that too.

Camouflage (Ex): A Hunter can extend the benefit of her Hide skill to all allies within 10' as a full-round action. This can be maintained while moving as a move action, and otherwise lasts until her allies move.

Stealth of the Pack (Ex): The Hunter is adept at guiding her allies along the quietest paths. As a swift action, she can add a competence bonus to the Move Silently checks of all allies equal to half her Survival check. The bonus lasts for one round.

Herbalism (Ex): The Hunter can attempt to gather herbs and natural substances with medicinal properties by spending 5 minutes and making a DC 14 survival check. The herbs remain potent for one hour after being harvested. The herbs create one of the following spell effects as an extraordinary ability: bear's endurance, cure light wounds, delay poison, lesser restoration, and owl's wisdom.

Craft of the Hunter: By spending half an hour, a Hunter equipped with an axe can craft a bow, arrow, or simple weapon. When used by the Hunter, the weapon has an enhancement bonus of 1/3 the Hunter's level.

Trapper's Art: By spending 10 minutes, a Hunter can craft any nonmagical CR 1 trap in the DMG except the pit trap. The trap attacks with the Hunter's base attack bonus plus Wis, and can be poisoned.

Frogs and Mushrooms: A Hunter is able to make 1d4 doses of any nonmagical poison in the DMG with a DC equal to or less than 10 + 1/2 level + Wis by spending 15 minutes and making a Survival check with a DC equal to that of the poison. The poison degrades to uselessness at the end of the day.

Survivalist: By spending 12 hours and making a DC 20 Survival check, a Hunter can craft leather armor, a still suit, or winter clothing.

Master Herbalism (Ex): The Hunter has improved her herb-lore. By spending 5 minutes and making a DC 18 survival check, she can produce one of the following effects as per Herbalism: cure serious wounds, neutralize poison, remove disease, and restoration.

[Jerry]

It has a very foresty feel.

When I think of rangers, I usually think of Van Helsing monster hunters. This is more of a woodsman facet of the Ranger.

That, and with enough time, you can harvest infinite cure spell equivalents. But I don't see this as broken, because Clerics can gain back spells in the time it takes your Ranger to heal up the high-con fighter and the rest of the party with CLW equivalents.
And this gives Clerics more opportunities to not be healing batteries.

[Talisman]

First off, what have you got against hippies?

This looks pretty decent...I do have a couple issues, though.

~The weapon proficiencies and the "Fletchery" ability seem to force this class into the archer slot...or axeman with backup archery. If this is what you want, fine, but it seems odd.

~Ensnare seems weak for its level...a CR 1 trap? Perhaps it should scale...maximum CR of the trap = 1/3 the ranger's class level. Even so, I have this vision of a ranger spendin 1 minute and either digging a 60' pit trap in solid granite, or constructing this elaborate, Rube Goldberg contraption out of twigs and grass and vines.

~Since this ranger has poison abilities, it should probably get Poison Use (aka Don't Screw Yourself) as an early ability.

~A few dice of sneak attack or sudden strike might fit in well, give the flavor text.

I'll keep an eye on this for updates.

[CatharzGodfoot]

It has a very foresty feel.

When I think of rangers, I usually think of Van Helsing monster hunters. This is more of a woodsman facet of the Ranger.

Yeah, I was trying to make a woodsy ranger who might be a logger rather than a tree hugger.

And this gives Clerics more opportunities to not be healing batteries.

Yeah, the idea is that the ranger can fill the role of a healer after combat and without per-day limitations, but can't build up a huge stockpile.

First off, what have you got against hippies?

Nothing, but I'd rather have a ranger that didn't have 'protector of nature' baggage. It's bit of a misnomer, considering that they get the ability to harvest mind-altering substances...

This looks pretty decent...I do have a couple issues, though.

~The weapon proficiencies and the "Fletchery" ability seem to force this class into the archer slot...or axeman with backup archery. If this is what you want, fine, but it seems odd.

It's not supposed to force them into anything, but they are supposed to be proficient archers (hence the Hunter and Subtle Cut feats), and they are also supposed to be iconically axe and spear fighters in melee.

~Ensnare seems weak for its level...a CR 1 trap? Perhaps it should scale...maximum CR of the trap = 1/3 the ranger's class level. Even so, I have this vision of a ranger spendin 1 minute and either digging a 60' pit trap in solid granite, or constructing this elaborate, Rube Goldberg contraption out of twigs and grass and vines.

It's not supposed to be a cohort or anything. It's just a quick defense or ambush aid. The fact that it attacks as the ranger and can be poisoned should keep it worthwhile. For the pit trap, I assumed that the ranger would 'find' an area that had been burrowed out by moles, or a weakened area of ground over a small limestone cave or natural well. But it's still kinda dumb, and could be removed.

~Since this ranger has poison abilities, it should probably get Poison Use (aka Don't Screw Yourself) as an early ability.

Right you are.

~A few dice of sneak attack or sudden strike might fit in well, give the flavor text.

Right again. I just wish I understood Sudden Strike better, as IIRC it is quite appropriate (move more than 5 feet to get damage?).

[ubernoob]

Sudden Strike is just sneak attack that doesn't trigger from flanking. Skirmish is bonus dice and AC any round where you move at least 10 feet (presumably to prevent full attacking, since it is much easier to trigger).

[CatharzGodfoot]

Sudden Strike is just sneak attack that doesn't trigger from flanking. Skirmish is bonus dice and AC any round where you move at least 10 feet (presumably to prevent full attacking, since it is much easier to trigger).

Gotcha.


Oh, and for the actual design goal: Fights similar to a rogue, but more hitting huge 1/round rather than hitting big 6+/round; has skills like a rogue, but help the entire party come along (and no UMD).

[CatharzGodfoot]

Well, it's the Hunter now. I removed Herbal Incense because it really undermined my 'not a hippie' claim, and because it might have dominated their play style. They get Poison Use, and can now make spears as well as arrows. And Skirmish 8)

[ubernoob]

Here's the rundown on WotC skirmish. You alternate giving d6 and the conditional point of AC. For scout (a rogueish class) he ends up with 5d6/+5 at 20th level.

That said, making skirmish pure d6 like SA would be fine.