Waer-ûl Hunter

The Waer-ûl of Eyom are a ratehr small loose-knit culture which largly eschues civilization inliu of fufilling a generaly held religious belief that their people benifited from all five of Eyom's major gods for a reason. They openly admit to not knowing that reason, and quest for it above everything else. They have the sympathy and some levelof kinship with the Constructi due to their firm belief in a lost purpose.

For most Waer-ûl, the quest for purpose is secondary to other elements of life. Game is to be hunted. Terratory secured. Mates found. Intrests acted uppon. Shelters built. And other minimal trappings of civilization. For others, this is not enough. They look at the civilized world and know in their hearts that if there is a purpose for their people, it will be found amongst the other peoples of the world.

They set out in search of adventure, knolage, and a life they cannot have in remote caves and mountains. When they arrive in civilization, they are welcomed into adventuring parties and serve as some of the greatest guides on the contenent. A single Waer-ûl can keep a party of new adventurers safe, sheltered, and fed almost anywhere on the contenent, and they are happy to do so. There isn't a single Waer-ûl living in this fashion who feels unfufilled. The general nagging idea of a purpose fades, for while they may have not found It, they have found one.

The people of Eyom call these Waer-ûl "Hunters".

Role: Waer-ûl Hunters specilize in ambush tatics, combining the stealth and suppise to launch a deadly strike with the ability to stand and fight should their prey weather their first blow. They are powerful warriors and cunning trackers who put their natural abilities first, yet still delight in how effective arms and armor are.

Alignment: Any

Hit Die: d8

Starting Wealth: 2d6 x 5 gp.

Class Skills

The Waer-ûl Hunter's class skills are: Acrobatics (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Fly (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Skill Ranks per Level: 6 + Int modifier.

Class Features

The following are class features of the Waer-ûl Hunter.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A hunter is proficient with the following weapons: club, dagger, dart, quarterstaff, scimitar, scythe, sickle, shortspear, sling, and spear. She is also proficient with the natural attacks (claw, bite, and so forth) from the hunter claws class feature and of any other forms she may assumes through any means.

Hunters are proficient with light and medium armor, but wearing armor not deigned for them to transform while wearing will break the armor when going to hybrid form, or dequip the armor as it falls off when going to base form. Hunters are proficient with shields (except tower shields).

Sneak Attack: If a hunter can catch an opponent when he is unable to defend himself effectively from her attack, he can strike a vital spot for extra damage.

The hunter’s attack deals extra damage anytime her target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the rogue flanks her target. This extra damage is 1d6 at 1st level, and increases by 1d6 every two hunter levels thereafter. Should the hunter score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied. A hunter's ranged attacks never count as sneak attacks.

With a weapon that deals nonlethal damage (like a sap, whip, or an unarmed strike), a hunter can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. She cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual –4 penalty.

The hunter must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. A hunter cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment.

A hunter counts as a rogue for the purposes of qualifing for feats.

Hunter Claws: Hunters are more adept at controling their bodies than other Waer-ûl. As a swift action, a hunter in her base form can transform her hands to make use of her claws as a weapon. The claws on each hand can be used as a primary natural attack, dealing 1d4 points of piercing and slashing damage (1d3 if she is Small). If she uses one of her claw attacks in concert with a weapon held in the other hand, the claw acts as a secondary natural attack instead.

Additionaly, she can enhance her claws while in her hybrid form to make them more suitable killing tools whenever she needs. This increaces their damage to 1d8.

As the hunter gains levels, the power of her claws increases.

At 3rd level, her claws count as magic weapons, ignore DR/cold iron and DR/silver. At 7th level, her claw damage increases to 1d6 (1d4 if Small). At 11th level, her claw damage increases to 1d8 (1d6 if Small). At 13th level, her claw damage increases to 1d10 (1d8 if Small). At 17th level, the damage die does not increase, but the critical multiplier becomes ×3. Lastly, at 19th level, the claws ignore DR/adamantine and DR/—. Her claws increace accordingly in her hybrid form as well, advancing one weapon damage die type for each increace and benifiting from all other benifits described above.

Wild Empathy (Ex): A hunter can improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions as a Diplomacy check to improve the attitude of a person. The hunter rolls 1d20 and adds her hunter level and 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 and 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 less than 6, but she takes a –4 penalty on the check.

Defensive Instinct (Ex): At 2nd level, when unarmored, not using a shield, unencumbered, and conscious, the hunter adds her Wisdom bonus (if any) to her AC and CMD. In addition, the hunter gains a +1 bonus to her AC and CMD at 4th level. This bonus increases by 1 for every 4 hunter levels thereafter (up to a maximum of +5 at 20th level).

These bonuses to AC apply even against touch attacks and when the hunter is flat-footed. She loses these bonuses when she is immobilized or helpless. These bonuses do not stack with the monk AC bonus class feature.

Woodland Stride (Ex): At 3rd level, a hunter can move through any sort of undergrowth (such as briars, natural thorns, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at her normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. Briars, thorns, and overgrown areas that are enchanted or magically manipulated to impede motion still affect the hunter.

Vigilante Talent: Starting at 2nd level and every 2 levels thereafter, a hunter gains a vigilante talent. Unless otherwise noted, a talent can be selected only once. Some talents require the hunter to meet prerequisites before they can be chosen, such as possessing another vigilante talent, possessing a particular specialization, or attaining a minimum level. Once a talent has been selected, it can’t be changed. A hunter counts as a vigilante for the purposes of qualifing for feats and vigilante talents.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a hunter can react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so. She cannot be caught flat-footed, nor does she lose her Dex bonus to AC if the attacker is invisible. She still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. A hunter with this ability can still lose her Dexterity bonus to AC if an opponent successfully uses the feint action (see Combat) against her.

If a hunter already has uncanny dodge from a different class, she automatically gains improved uncanny dodge (see below) instead.

Trackless Step (Ex): At 5th level, a hunter leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked. She can choose to leave a trail if she so desires.

Shifter’s Fury (Ex): At 6th level, a hunter gains the ability to make several ferocious attacks with the same natural weapon. Instead of attacking with all her natural weapons, the hunter can choose a single natural weapon and make a full attack with that natural weapon, gaining a second iterative attack at a –5 as if it was a manufactured weapon. When she does so, all her other natural attacks count as secondary attacks.

At 11th level, she gains a third iterative attack at a –10 and at 16th level, she gains a fourth iterative attack at –15.

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): A hunter of 8th level or higher can no longer be flanked.

This defense denies another hunter (or rogue) the ability to sneak attack the character by flanking her, unless the attacker has at least four more hunter (or rogue) levels than the target does.

Unshakable (Ex): A hunter adds his class level to the DC of any attempts to Intimidate him, as well as to any save vs fear effects.

Timeless Body (Ex): After attaining 18th level, a hunter no longer takes ability score penalties for aging and cannot be magically aged. Any penalties she may have already incurred, however, remain in place. Bonuses still accrue, the hunter remains their current age indeffently, and will not die of old age.

Master Strike (Ex): Upon reaching 20th level, a hunter becomes incredibly deadly when dealing sneak attack damage. Each time the hunter deals sneak attack damage, she can choose one of the following three effects:

The target can be…

1. put to sleep for 1d4 hours
2. paralyzed for 2d6 rounds
3. slain

Regardless of the effect chosen, the target receives a Fortitude save to negate the additional effect. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the hunter’s level + the hunter’s Cha modifier. Once a creature has been the target of a master strike, regardless of whether or not the save is made, that creature is immune to that hunter’s master strike for 24 hours. Creatures that are immune to sneak attack damage are also immune to this ability.