A bandit king raids caravans on the road. An ogre pillages farms to the north. A mage has kidnapped the mayor’s son and hidden him somewhere in the marsh—and the soldiers of the king cannot seem to stem the tide. The terrified citizens have only one choice, and it isn’t cheap. They call in a clan hunter. A clan hunter tracks down creatures and either eliminates them or brings them to whatever justice awaits them.
Hit Die: d8.
Requirements
To qualify to become a clan hunter, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Base Attack Bonus: +4.
Skills: Diplomacy 2 ranks, Stealth 4 ranks, Survival 4 ranks.
Special: Must have joined one of the Clan Hunter guilds, or Monster Hunting associations.
Class Skills
The clan hunter’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Dex), Disguise (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (local) (Int), Perception (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Stealth (Dex), and Survival (Wis).
Skill Points Per Level: 6 + Int modifier
Table: Clan Hunter
| Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +0 | +1 | +1 | +0 | Clan's Mark (1), Track, Quarry, Limit Break |
| 2nd | +1 | +1 | +1 | +1 | Woodland Stride, Ready and Waiting, Improved Quarry |
| 3rd | +2 | +2 | +2 | +1 | Clan Talent, Trackless Step, Tenacious Pursuit (Speed +10 ft.) |
| 4th | +3 | +2 | +2 | +1 | Heightened Perception, Hunter’s Dedication, Move Like the Wind, Clan's Mark (2) |
| 5th | +3 | +3 | +3 | +2 | Swift Tracker, Track the Trackless |
| 6th | +4 | +3 | +3 | +2 | Clan Talent, Low-Light Vision, Tenacious Pursuit (Speed +20 ft.) |
| 7th | +5 | +4 | +4 | +2 | Locate Creature, Clan's Mark (3) |
| 8th | +6 | +4 | +4 | +3 | Anticipation, Scent |
| 9th | +6 | +5 | +5 | +3 | Clan Talent, Tenacious Pursuit (Speed +30 ft.), Apex Predator |
| 10th | +7 | +5 | +5 | +3 | Darkvision (60 ft.), Find the Path, Clan's Mark (4) |
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the clan hunter prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
The clan hunter is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and with light armor. In addition, the clan hunter is proficient in the Mancatcher, Bolas, Lassos and Nets (including Snag Nets).
Limit Break (Su)
At 1st level, the clan hunter receives the Limit Break (Vital Strike).
Vital Strike (Su): This Limit Break allows the clan hunter to see the vital point in a creature’s body and capitalizes on it with a powerful blow. Against an unmarked creature, the clan hunter makes a single attack, if it hits, the attack becomes a confirmed critical hit (even against creatures that are normally immune to critical hits) and deals maximum damage. Against a marked creature, the critical multiplier increases by 1.
Clan’s Mark (Ex)
A clan hunter can target, or mark, an individual humanoid or monstrous humanoid foe to better hunt that enemy. To do so, the clan hunter must focus on a foe that is present and visible, or on the depiction or description of the creature, for 10 minutes. Any interruption ruins the attempt and forces the clan hunter to start the process again. Once this study is complete, that target is called a mark. A clan hunter adds his clan hunter level as an insight bonus on all Diplomacy, Perception, and Survival checks made to determine the whereabouts of a mark. As a clan hunter gains levels, he gains additional abilities against a mark. A clan hunter can choose a mark only once a week.
Initially, a clan hunter can have only one mark at a time. For every three clan hunter levels gained beyond the 1st, a clan hunter can have one additional mark, but only if all the marks are chosen during the same process (see above). If a clan hunter gives up on finishing any of his marks, all remaining marked creatures become unmarked as described above.
Track
At 1st level, a clan hunter adds his clan hunter level to Survival skill checks made to follow or identify tracks.
Quarry (Ex)
At 1st level, a clan hunter’s most well-known ability is tracking creatures: detecting them, locating them, identifying them, and observing important details about them. These abilities come with the limitation that the clan hunter must concentrate his attention on the target in order to do these things properly. So, the clan hunter learns to focus his concentration and attention on one creature: his quarry.
To make a creature his quarry, the clan hunter must take a moment to gather his thoughts and visualize the creature in his mind. This means the clan hunter must know enough about the creature to identify and describe them. Once per round as a free action, the clan hunter can make anyone he remembers encountering and interacting with in for at least 10 minutes in the past 24 hours his quarry. If a clan hunter is extremely familiar with someone, he can make them his quarry up to 1 year after encountering them. This includes anyone he has spent an extended period of time interacting with (at least 2 hours total). Even if the creature is not present, the clan hunter can make them his quarry.
If the clan hunter meets a creature, he can study it so that he makes it his quarry immediately. A clan hunter can make any creature his quarry if he can see them (or sense in a unique way, such as by using a form of blindsense) as a move action.
Finally, a clan hunter can also make a creature his quarry based on evidence of their presence, without even knowing exactly who they are. If a clan hunter makes a successful Survival or Perception skill check to find tracks or other signs of a creature’s passage, he may make that creature his quarry as a standard action. If the clan hunter fails, he may not try to quarry that creature again for 24 hours, unless he discovers tracks or other signs of passage at a different, unrelated location.
A clan hunter has several special abilities that relate to his quarry:
- A clan hunter is skilled in finding his quarry. When making Survival skill checks made to follow his quarry’s tracks, the clan hunter adds his clan hunter level to his check and can move at his normal speed while using following tracks without taking the normal –5 penalty. He takes only a –10 penalty (instead of the normal –20) when moving at up to twice normal speed while tracking.
- When making Perception skill checks to locate his quarry (such as if the quarry is invisible or hiding), to confirm their identity (such as if the quarry is disguised), or to determine if something belongs to the quarry or was left behind by them, the clan hunter adds his clan hunter level to his check.
- A clan hunter may attempt to use a Knowledge check to identify the creature type of his quarry based on its tracks or evidence of their passage.
- A clan hunter may make a Perception skill check against his quarry’s Disguise or Bluff check (whichever is higher) to gain some information about its condition at the time they were present, just by looking at the quarry’s tracks. They may learn the following: whether the creature was badly injured (has less than half of its hit points), whether it had any conditions that affect its movement (such as blindness or a missing leg), or whether it was encumbered. The clan hunter can also tell whether the quarry was running or walking.
A quarry lasts until the clan hunter chooses a different quarry. For the purpose of this ability, a troop or swarm is considered a single creature.
Woodland Stride (Ex)
Starting at 2nd level, a clan hunter may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at his normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment.
Ready and Waiting (Ex)
Beginning at 2nd level, a clan hunter is ready for trickery at all times. He can ready an action against his mark, even outside of the initiative sequence. If the mark triggers the clan hunter’s readied action at any point within the next 10 minutes, the clan hunter can carry out his readied action as if the two were engaged in combat (as long as the clan hunter is capable of carrying out that action. If the clan hunter is incapable of carrying out the action—for instance, if he is too far away to strike the mark with a readied melee attack—the readied action is lost.
Improved Quarry (Ex)
As a clan hunter becomes more skilled at hunting, he learns to make creatures his quarry with greater efficiency.
- Charging Focus: At 2nd level, the clan hunter may quarry a creature as a move action and move towards that creature (or direct his mount to move towards that creature) as part of the same move action. He may quarry as part of a charge.
- Sudden Focus: At 4th level, the clan hunter may quarry a creature he can see as a swift action.
- Perceptive Focus: At 6th level, the clan hunter may make creatures his quarry even if he cannot see them, provided he knows they are present by making a Perception skill check vs the creature’s Stealth, Disguise or Bluff check (as appropriate). This is a move action and can be part of the same action used to find the creature.
- Instant Focus: At 8th level, the clan hunter may make any creature that attacks him his quarry as an immediate action.
- Close Focus: At 10th level, the clan hunter may make an adjacent creature he can see his quarry as a free action.
Trackless Step (Ex)
Starting at 3rd level, a clan hunter leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked. He may choose to leave a trail if so desired.
Tenacious Pursuit (Ex)
At 3rd level and above, a clan hunter tracking a mark gains a +4 bonus on Constitution checks made to resist nonlethal damage from a forced march. In addition, a clan hunter tracking a mark can increase his own speed by 10 feet, up to a maximum value equal to the mark’s speed. This bonus stacks with all other speed increases. At 6th level, the speed increase improves to 20 feet and it goes up to 30 feet at 9th level.
Clan Talents (Ex)
At 3rd level, 6th level and 9th level, the clan hunter can pick one of the talents below. If a talent requires a save, the DC is 10 + the clan hunter’s level + his Wisdom modifier. Once a talent is picked, it grants all three benefits, based on the clan hunter’s level.
Clan Discount (Ex): The clan hunter’s reputation within the Clan improves. The clan hunter receives a 10% discount on any goods purchased within the Clan. He receives an additional 10% discount at 6th level, and another at 9th level. Up to the DM on what goods a clan hunter can purchase.
Distracting Attack (Ex): The clan hunter can use this talent as a free action before he makes an attack. If the attack hits, the target takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls for 1 round. At 6th level, this penalty increases to –4, and at 9th level, this penalty increases to –6.
Hobbling Attack (Ex): The clan hunter can use this talent as a free action when he hits with an attack. The target of the attack’s land speed is reduced by 1/2 for 1d4 rounds. At 6th level, this penalty to movement speed is reduced by 3/4ths for 1d4 rounds, and at 9th level, this penalty reduces all movement speed, effectively immobilizing the target.
Predation (Ex): When a clan hunter attacks his quarry, his increased focus makes him even deadlier. The clan hunter gains a +1 insight bonus to attack rolls against his quarry, and deals an additional 1d6 precision damage against them on all attacks. These bonuses increase by +1 and +1d6 respectively at 6th and 9th level. If the clan hunter has the predation ability from a class feature, the levels in clan hunter stacks.
Rattling Strike (Ex): The clan hunter can use this talent as a free action before he makes a melee attack. If the attack hits, the target must make a Will save (DC 10 + the clan hunter’s level + his Wisdom modifier) or be shaken for 1d4 rounds. At 6th level, the target is frightened for 1d4 rounds, and at 9th level, the target is panicked for 1d4 rounds.
Second Chance Strike (Ex): When he misses with a melee or ranged attack, the clan hunter may reroll his attack at a –5 penalty. Using this ability is an immediate action. At 6th level, this penalty to attack rolls is reduced to –3, and at 9th level, this penalty to attack rolls is reduced to –1.
Swift Mark (Ex): The time required to mark a target is reduced to 5 minutes. At 6th level, this becomes 1 minute, and at 9th level, a full round action.
Trick Shots (Ex): A clan hunter can choose one of the following combat maneuvers or actions: disarm, feint, bull rush, grapple, trip or sunder. He can perform this action with a bow against any target within 30 feet, with a –4 penalty to his CMB. At 6th level, and 9th level, he may choose an additional trick shot to learn. These maneuvers use up arrows as normal. A target grappled by an arrow can break free by destroying the clan hunter’s arrow (hardness 5, hit points 1, break DC 13) or with an Escape Artist or CMB check (against the clan hunter’s CMD –4).
Versatile Hunter (Ex): The clan hunter gains the Empty Quiver Style feat. At 6th level, he gets Empty Quiver Flexibility, and at 9th level he gets Empty Quiver Flurry. He does not need to meet the prerequisites of these feats to gain them. If he already has one of these feats when Versatile Hunter should give it to him, he may instead take a combat feat as a bonus feat that he must meet the prerequisites for.
Heightened Perception (Ex)
At 4th level, a clan hunter’s senses grow sharper than even the most observant. The clan hunter adds his clan hunter level on any Perception checks. This will also stack with the bonuses provided by the Mark ability.
Hunter’s Dedication (Ex)
Beginning at 4th level, a clan hunter adds his Constitution bonus (if any) to Will saves made to resist the special attacks or spells of his mark.
Move Like the Wind (Ex)
Starting at 4th level, a clan hunter can move stealthily even at a quick pace. He no longer takes a -5 penalty on Stealth checks when moving at any speed up to his normal speed, and he takes only a -10 penalty (instead of a -20 penalty) on Stealth checks when running. (He takes the normal -20 penalty when attacking or charging).
Swift Tracker (Ex)
Beginning at 5th level, a clan hunter can move at his normal speed while following tracks without taking the normal -5 penalty. He takes only a -10 penalty (instead of the normal -20) when moving at up to twice normal speed while tracking.
Track the Trackless (Su)
Also at 5th level, a clan hunter can track a creature moving under the influence of trackless step or a similar effect, though he takes a -20 penalty on his Survival checks when doing so.
Low-Light Vision (Ex)
At 6th level, a clan hunter gains low-light vision, allowing him to see twice as far as a hume in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of shadowy illumination. He retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions. If he already has low-light vision from another source (such as his race), his low-light vision improves, allowing him to see three times as far as a hume in conditions of shadowy illumination.
Locate Creature (Su)
Once per day, a clan hunter of 7th level or higher can locate a marked creature supernaturally. At a duration of 10 minutes per clan hunter level, the clan hunter slowly turns and senses when he is facing in the direction of the marked creature to be located. He will also know in which direction the creature is moving, if any. If the duration runs out before the clan hunter can find his mark, he loses the trail.
Scent (Ex)
At 8th level, a clan hunter gains the scent ability. This ability allows the clan hunter to detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell. A clan hunter can identify familiar odors just as humes do familiar sights.
The clan hunter can detect opponents within 30 feet by sense of smell. If the opponent is upwind, the range increases to 60 feet; if downwind, it drops to 15 feet. Strong scents, such as smoke or rotting garbage, can be detected at twice the ranges noted above.
When the clan hunter detects a scent, the exact location of the source is not revealed—only its presence somewhere within range. The clan hunter can take a move action to note the direction of the scent. Whenever a clan hunter comes within 5 feet of the source, the clan hunter pinpoints the source’s location.
Anticipation (Ex)
After achieving 8th level, the clan hunter can notice the tiny movements of his mark along with other visual and auditory ones that allow him to react more quickly in combat. This grants him a +4 competence bonus on all initiative checks (stacks with Improved Initiative). In addition, the clan hunter may select one mark each round, if there are more than one mark in the same area; that marked creature may not make attacks of opportunity against or flank the clan hunter during that round.
Apex Predator (Ex)
A clan hunter of 9th level reaches the top of the food chain. Whenever he attacks his quarry and misses with a roll that is not a natural 1, he hits his quarry, but the damage is halved.
Darkvision (Ex)
At 10th level, a clan hunter’s vision becomes adjusted to see without a light source, out to a range of 60 feet. If he already has darkvision from another source (such as his race), his darkvision improves, extending out to 90 feet.
Find the Path (Su)
Once per day, a clan hunter of 10th level can find the shortest, most direct physical route to a specified destination, be it the way into or out of a locale. The locale can be outdoors or underground. This works with respect to locations, not objects or creatures at a locale. This ability enables the clan hunter to sense the correct direction that will eventually lead him to his destination, indicating at appropriate times the exact path to follow or physical actions to take. This ability lasts for an entire day or until the clan hunter rests, whichever comes first.
