Hunter

Hunters are warriors of the wilds that have forged close bonds with trusted animal companions. They focus their tactics on fighting alongside their companion animals as a formidable team of two. Able to cast a wide variety of nature spells and take on the abilities and attributes of beasts, hunters magically improve both themselves and their animal companions.
Hunters can adapt their tactics to many kinds of opponents, and cherish their highly trained animal companions. As a team, the hunter and her companion can react to danger with incredible speed, making them excellent scouts, explorers, and saboteurs.
Parent Classes: Druid and Ranger.

Alignment

Any neutral.

Hit Dice

1d8

Proficiencies

• Armor: Light armor, medium armor, and shields (except tower shields).
• Weapons: All simple and martial weapons.
• Class Skills: Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
• Skill Points Per Level: 6 + Intelligence modifier.

Class Features

All of the following are features of the Hunter class.

Spell Casting

A hunter casts divine spells drawn from the Hunter Spell List spell list. The hunter can cast any spell they know without preparing it ahead of time. To learn or cast a spell, a hunter must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell’s level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a hunter’s spell is 10 + the spell’s level + the hunter’s Wisdom modifier.
A hunter's alignment may restrict them from casting certain spells opposed to their moral or ethical beliefs; see Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells below.
Like other spellcasters, a hunter can cast only a certain number of spells of each Spell Level per day. Their base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Hunter. In addition, they receive bonus spells per day if they have a high Wisdom score.
Unlike druids and rangers, a hunter’s selection of spells is extremely limited. A hunter begins play knowing four 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells of their choice. At each new hunter level, they gain one or more new spells, as indicated on Table: Hunter Spells Known. Unlike spells per day, the number of spells a hunter knows is not affected by their Wisdom score; the numbers on Table: Hunter Spells Known are fixed.
In addition to the spells gained by hunters as they gain levels, each hunter also automatically adds all summon nature’s ally spells to their list of spells known. These spells are added as soon as the hunter is capable of casting them.
At 5th level and at every 3 levels thereafter, a hunter can choose to learn a new spell in place of one they already know. In effect, the hunter loses the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged. A hunter may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that they gain new spells known for the level. They cannot swap any summon nature’s ally spells.
Unlike a Druid or Ranger, a hunter need not prepare their spells in advance. They can cast any spell they know at any time, assuming they have not yet used up their spells per day for that Spell Level.

Orisons

Hunters learn a number of orisons, or 0-level spells, as noted on Table: Hunter Spells Known. These spells are cast like any other spell, but they do not consume any slots and may be used again.
Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells: A hunter can’t cast spells of an alignment opposed to their own or their deity’s (if they have one). Spells associated with particular alignments are indicated by the chaos, evil, good, and law descriptors in their Spell Descriptions.

Animal Companion (Ex)

At 1st level, a hunter forms a bond with an Animal Companion. A hunter may begin play with any of the animals available to a Druid. This animal is a loyal companion that accompanies the hunter on their adventures. This ability functions like the Druid Animal Companion ability (which is part of the nature bond class feature). The hunter’s effective Druid level is equal to their hunter level. If a character receives an Animal Companion from more than one source, their effective Druid levels stack for the purposes of determining the companion’s statistics and abilities. A hunter may teach their companion hunter’s tricks from the skirmisher Ranger archetype instead of standard tricks. The Animal Companion can use skirmisher tricks when commanded, a number of times per day equal to half its Hit Dice plus its Wisdom modifier.
If a hunter releases their companion from service or their Animal Companion perishes, they may gain a new one by performing a ceremony requiring 24 uninterrupted hours of prayer in the environment where the new companion typically lives. While the hunter’s Animal Companion is dead, any animal they summon with a summon nature’s ally spell remains for 1 minute per level instead of 1 round per level. A hunter cannot have more than one summon nature’s ally spell active in this way at one time. If this ability is used again, any existing summon nature’s ally immediately ends.

Animal Focus (Su)

At 1st level, a hunter can take on the aspect of an animal as a Swift Action. They must select one type of animal to emulate, gaining a bonus or special ability based on the type of animal emulated and their hunter level. The hunter can use this ability for a number of minutes per day equal to their level. This duration does not need to be consecutive, but must be spent in 1-minute increments. The hunter can emulate only one animal at a time.
The hunter can also apply one of these aspects to their Animal Companion. Unlike with the hunter themself, there is no duration on the animal aspect applied to their Animal Companion. An aspect applied in this way does not count against the hunter’s minutes of duration per day—it remains in effect until the hunter changes it. The companion’s aspect can be the same aspect the hunter has taken on or a different one. The hunter can select or change the animal foci on both themself and their Animal Companion as part of the same Swift Action.
If the hunter’s Animal Companion is dead, the hunter can apply their companion’s animal focus to themself instead of their Animal Companion. This is in addition to the normal one they can choose, and (as with a companion’s focus) remains in effect until the hunter changes it instead of counting against their minutes per day.

• Bat: The creature gains Darkvision to a range of 60 feet. At 8th level, the range increases by 30 feet. At 15th level, the creature also gains Blindsense to a range of 10 feet.
• Bear: The creature gains a +2 Enhancement Bonus to Constitution. This bonus increases to +4 at 8th level and +6 at 15th level.
• Bull: The creature gains a +2 Enhancement Bonus to Strength. This bonus increases to +4 at 8th level and +6 at 15th level.
• Falcon: The creature gains a +4 Competence Bonus on Perception checks. This bonus increases to +6 at 8th level and +8 at 15th level.
• Frog: The creature gains a +4 Competence Bonus on Swim checks and on Acrobatics checks to jump. These bonuses increase to +6 at 8th level and +8 at 15th level.
• Monkey: The creature gains a +4 Competence Bonus on Climb checks. This bonus increases to +6 at 8th level and +8 at 15th level.
• Mouse: The creature gains Evasion, as the Rogue class feature. At 12th level, this increases to improved Evasion, as the Rogue advanced talent.
• Owl: The creature gains a +4 Competence Bonus on Stealth checks. This bonus increases to +6 at 8th level and +8 at 15th level.
• Snake: The creature gains a +2 bonus on attack rolls when making an Attack of Opportunity and a +2 Dodge Bonus to AC against attacks of opportunity. These bonuses increase to +4 at 8th level and +6 at 15th level.
• Stag: The creature gains a 5-foot Enhancement Bonus to its base land speed. This bonus increases to 10 feet at 8th level and 20 feet at 15th level.
• Tiger: The creature gains a +2 Enhancement Bonus to Dexterity. This bonus increases to +4 at 8th level and +6 at 15th level.
• Wolf: The creature gains the Scent ability with a range of 10 feet. The range of this sense increases to 20 feet at 8th level and 30 feet at 15th level. The range doubles if the opponent is upwind, and is halved if the opponent is downwind.

Ward Aspects
When a character in tune with nature comes upon an area that a kami could ward but that is lacking a guardian, they have the option of making that area their ward in a symbiotic relationship. Whenever a character with the animal focus class feature is within 100 feet per class level of one of the wards listed below, they can use the associated ward aspect instead of one of the normal options for their animal focus class feature. Hunters can apply the benefits of a ward aspect to themselves, but not to their animal companions.
If a character with the animal focus class feature spends 30 minutes meditating while within 10 feet per class level of the ward, they attune themself to that ward. A character attuned to a ward can use the associated ward aspect while within 1 mile per class level. A character can be attuned to only one ward at a time, but depending on their surroundings, they could choose from among multiple wards. A character with the second animal focus class feature can still only use one ward aspect at a time, no matter how many aspects they have available to them.
The following ward aspects are available to characters who meet the conditions described above.

• Road: The creature gains a +10-foot Enhancement Bonus to its base speed while running, charging, or withdrawing. This bonus increases to +20 feet at 8th level and +30 feet at 15th level.
• Shrine: The creature gains a +2 Enhancement Bonus to Wisdom. This bonus increases to +4 at 8th level and +6 at 15th level.
• Tree: The creature gains a +4 Competence Bonus on saving throws against death effects and effects that deal negative energy damage. This bonus increases to +6 at 8th level and +8 at 15th level.
• Waymarker: The creature gains a +4 Competence Bonus on attack rolls with improvised weapons. This bonus increases to +6 at 8th level and +8 at 15th level.
• Well: The creature gains a +2 Shield Bonus to AC. This bonus increases to +4 at 8th level and +6 at 15th level.

Nature Training (Ex)

A hunter counts their total hunter level as both Druid levels and Ranger levels for the purpose of qualifying for Feats , Traits, and options that modify or improve an Animal Companion.

Wild Empathy (Ex)

A hunter can improve the initial attitude of an Animal. This ability functions as a Diplomacy check to improve the attitude of a person. The hunter rolls 1d20 and adds their hunter level and their Charisma modifier to determine the wild empathy check result. The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly.
To use wild empathy, the hunter and the animal must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.
The hunter can also use this ability to influence a Magical Beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but they take a –4 penalty on the check.

Precise Companion (Ex)

At 2nd level, a hunter chooses either Precise Shot or Outflank as a bonus feat. They do not need to meet the prerequisites for this feat. If they choose Outflank, they automatically grant this feat to their Animal Companion as well.

Track (Ex)

At 2nd level, a hunter adds 1/2 their level to Survival skill checks made to follow tracks.

Hunter Tactics (Ex)

At 3rd level, the hunter automatically grants their Teamwork Feats to their Animal Companion. The companion doesn’t need to meet the prerequisites of these Teamwork Feats.

Teamwork Feat

At 3rd level and every 3 levels thereafter, the hunter gains a bonus Teamwork Feat in addition to those gained from normal advancement. The hunter must meet the prerequisites of the selected bonus teamwork feat.
As a standard action, the hunter can choose to learn a new bonus teamwork feat in place of the most recent bonus teamwork feat they have already learned. In effect, the hunter loses the bonus feat in exchange for the new one. They can change only the most recent teamwork feat gained, and must meet the prerequisites for the newly selected feat. A hunter can change their most recent teamwork feat a number of times per day equal to their Wisdom modifier (minimum 1). Whenever they gain a new teamwork feat, their previous Teamwork Feats become permanent.

Improved Empathic Link (Su)

At 4th level, the hunter gains an empathic link with their Animal Companion. This functions like an empathic link with a Familiar, except the hunter can also see through a companion’s eyes as a Swift Action, maintaining this connection as long as they like (as long as the companion is within 1 mile) and ending it as a Free Action. The hunter is Blinded while maintaining this connection.

Woodland Stride (Ex)

At 5th level, a hunter and their Animal Companion may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at their normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment.
Thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that are enchanted or magically manipulated to impede motion will still affect the hunter and their Animal Companion.

Bonus Tricks (Ex)

At 7th level and every 6 levels thereafter, a hunter’s Animal Companion learns a bonus trick (in addition to the bonus tricks gained from the hunter’s effective Druid level).

Second Animal Focus (Su)

At 8th level, whenever a hunter uses their animal focus ability, they select two different animal aspects for themselves instead of one, and can assign two aspects to their companion instead of one. As with the companion’s previous aspect, the second one does not count against the minutes per day a hunter can take on an aspect.
If the hunter’s Animal Companion is dead and the hunter has applied the companion’s animal aspect to themself, that aspect does not count toward their maximum of two aspects at once. The hunter can still apply only one of their dead companion’s aspects to themself, not both.

Swift Tracker (Ex)

At 8th level, a hunter can move at their normal speed while using Survival to follow tracks without taking the normal –5 penalty. They take only a –10 penalty (instead of the normal –20) when moving at up to twice normal speed while tracking.

Raise Animal Companion (Sp)

At 10th level, a hunter gains Raise Animal Companion as a spell-like ability; this is not restricted to raising only their own Animal Companion. Using this spell-like ability gives the hunter a permanent level of Level Drain. This Level Drain cannot be overcome in any way (including by Restoration), but automatically ends after 24 hours. At 16th level, this functions as Resurrection instead of Raise Dead, but otherwise operates as normal.

Speak with Master (Ex)

At 11th level, a hunter and their Animal Companion can communicate verbally, as if they were using a common language. Other creatures cannot understand the communication without magical aid.

Greater Empathic Link (Su)

At 14th level, the range of the hunter’s empathic link with their Animal Companion increases to 10 miles. If the Animal Companion is within 1 mile, the hunter can communicate with it telepathically.

One with the Wild (Ex)

At 17th level, the hunter and their Animal Companion are respected or even feared by other Animals, so long as the animals are approximately of the same type as any of the hunter’s current animal foci: bat for bats, tiger with felines, falcon for birds, snake for reptiles, and so on. No animal in this category (including dire varieties) willingly attacks the hunter or their companion unless magically compelled to or if the hunter or companion attacks it first.
The hunter and their companion can attempt to demoralize animals in the appropriate category as a Swift Action, rolling 1d20 and adding the hunter’s level and their Charisma modifier to determine the Intimidate check result.

Master Hunter (Ex)

At 20th level, a hunter becomes a master hunter, able to track down foes with ease. They can always move at full speed while using Survival to follow tracks without penalty.
Additionally, each day when the hunter regains their spell slots, they choose one animal focus to be active on themselves for the entire day. This focus is in addition to using their animal focus class ability (including the additional focus ability they are able to use on themselves if their Animal Companion is dead).

Hunter Variants

Several variations exist that alter or replace aspects of the Hunter class.