Gyor
Savant
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2017
- Messages
- 735
It seems redundant to me, being the hybrid of ranger and druid, while the ranger is already a mixed fighter/druid, but I'm no expert.
Hunter is very similar to Sacred Huntmaster inquisitor from P:K, but gets 6 level of Druid/Ranger's spell instead of Cleric's. Similar focus on free teamwork feats that could be shared on pet.
Only unique thing he has is Animal focus:
At 1st level, a hunter can take on the aspect of an animal as a swift action. She must select one type of animal to emulate, gaining a bonus or special ability based on the type of animal emulated and her hunter level. The hunter can use this ability for a number of minutes per day equal to her 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 her animal companion. Unlike with the hunter herself, there is no duration on the animal aspect applied to her 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 herself and her animal companion as part of the same swift action.
If the hunter’s animal companion is dead, the hunter can apply her companion’s animal focus to herself instead of her animal companion. This is in addition to the normal one she can choose, and (as with a companion’s focus) remains in effect until the hunter changes it instead of counting against her 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 attacks 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.
tldr version - up to 3 buffs from thematic pool he can chose for himself and his pet and switch freely when needed.
There are few more things. Like weirdly the Hunter is a Spontaneous Caster unlike either Druids or Rangers, and gets various buffs to his Companion like Improved Empathic Link (basically the Companion acts like a Familiar minus the Intelligence buff).
The tough part will be how does it deal with all the tracking bonus abilities Hunter's get as it levels. What do they replace those features with?
Personally I'd just give them the Summon Nature's Ally version of the Monster Tactician's Summon Monsters SLA, to replace all the abilities they weren't be able to grant to the Hunter.
Maybe they will also get the alternate capstone ability of a second Animal Companion of -4 levels (fixable with a feat).