Hunter

The foliage moves, and an arrow flies from its shadows, striking an orc in an unprotected chink in its crude armor. It falls, and its brothers turn and charge in the direction of the attack, screaming a war cry. The brush erupts again, but this time an elf covered in leafs springs from its midst, drawing swords and singing its own battle cry.

A lion nudges the corpse of a dear, searching for savory flesh. A snap and a crack echoes amongst the forest, and the lion roars in anger and pain. As it tries to escape the trap that has bound it, a shadow descends on it with a slash, falling from the branches above.

A werewolf bursts through the door of a small residency, and the inhabitants jump in fear. The wolf man falls and tumbles forwards. From behind it a menacing figure in a blood stained cloak steps in through the doorway. The only source of illumination springing from a longsword it wields brimming with radiant energy. The family stare at the figure now standing within their home above the dying werewolf with fear in their eyes. For the figures aura of hatred burns brighter than light of its sword.

Keen Combatants

Observant and keen. These are the qualities of a hunter. Some hunters choose to ambush their prey, while others take pride in challenging them head on, finding confidence they can defeat their foe with other research and preparations they have made before hand. You may come across a hunter fighting along side a fearsome beast, or shooting its prey from a far distance, or even grappling its prey before driving a blade into its temple. All hunt with theirs eyes wide open, and are masters of finding, researching, and then exploiting the weaknesses of their foes.

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A note on balance.

Some features of this class such as creating traps, are designed to reward creativity. As a result of this, they are also heavily hinge on how benevolent your DM is. It is important to check with your DM before playing this class to make sure that he/she understands these features and will attempt to work with you to utilize them when applicable. If the DM expresses that with the campaign they wish to run the trapping feature will sparsely be able to be used, this is better to know now than later.

Art Credits

Link Art: Even Amundsen

Figure 1: Stepan Alekseev

Figure 2: Ivan Dedov

Figure 3: Rogier van de Beek

Figure 4: Even Amundsen

Figure 5: Timofey Stepanov

Figure 6: Roberto Gatto

Figure 7 and 8: Bartlomiej Gawel

Figure 9: Anton Tareev

Figure 10: Viktor Titov

Figure 11: Adrian Wilkins

Figure 12: Imad Awan

Figure 13 and 14: Stepan Alekseev

Written By: James Rathwell

Hit Points

• Hit Dice: 1d10 per Hunter level
• Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
• Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per hunter level after 1st

Proficiencies

• Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields
• Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
• Tools: None

• Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity
• Skills: Choose three from Animal Handling, Athletics, Insight, Investigation, Nature, Perception, Stealth, and Survival

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Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) a scale mail (b) leather armor
• (a) two shortswords or (b) two simple melee weapons
• (a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
• A longbow and a quiver of 20 arrows

On the Hunt

Starting at 1st level, when you find the tracks, markings, or clues of a creature you can choose to mark them as your prey. Doing so allows you to expend an action to make a wisdom (survival or nature) check to discern more information about your chosen prey.

The DC = the preys CR x 2 subtracted by the levels you have in this class.

If you cannot see the creature you have disadvantage on this check. Tell the DM how this DC is generated, then roll. The DM instructs you which result you got on the following table according to your rolls result. If you have done additional research on this prey, the DC can be lowered as seen fit by your DM.

You can only use this feature against the same prey once every long rest. You can have multiple different prey at the same time. Once you take a long rest, any benefits you gain against your prey are lost and you must use this feature against the creature again to gain any of its benefits. If you have had a result equal to or greater than the DC against a creature in the past, you gain advantage on using this feature against the creature in the future.

Resourceful

As a hunter at 1st level, you are adept at scavenging for useful materials, and crafting useful implements and rations from them. Whenever you forage for food or water, the rations you gain as a result are doubled.

In addition, at 5th level in this class you can spend 1 hour to forage for potion and oil supplies to give you the edge within upcoming hunts. Doing so allows you to roll upon the common potions and oils table on pg 6. You gain the result.

At 10th level in this class you can roll upon the uncommon potions and oils table on pg 6 and gain the result.

You can only carry an amount of potions and oils attained through this feature at a given time equal to your wisdom modifier.

Favored Enemy

At 1st level, choose a type of favored enemy: aberrations, beasts, celestials, constructs, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends, giants, monstrosities, oozes, plants, or undead. Alternatively, you can select two races of humanoid (such as gnolls and orcs) as favored enemies. You can double your proficiency bonus on any survival, history, or nature check made against them including ones made for the purposes of your On the Hunt feature. You also learn one language associated with this enemy.

You can choose one additional favored enemy at 6th and 14th level in this class, learning additional languages accordingly.

Weak Spot

At 2nd level, if you beat the DC when using your On the Hunt feature you also gain the following benefits against the prey:

• If you have advantage on a weapon attack roll against your prey, and have not expended any of your movement on your turn, you can choose to not expend any of your movement for the remainder of your turn, and sacrifice the advantage dice. This allows you to add your Weak Spot damage to this weapon attack and all other weapon attacks you make against your prey for the rest of this round.
• Once per round, if you or one of your allies within 60ft of you critically hit your prey and the preys CR is equal to or lesser than your levels in this class + your proficiency bonus, the ally who struck it can deal your Weak Spot damage dice to it, and remove one of its attack options, as they sever or mutilate the body part needed to use it. For example if it has a claw and a bite attack, you could choose to remove its bite attack option. If the creature only has one attack option, they instead have disadvantage on all attack rolls with the attack option.

Weak Spot damage is dealt as extra damage unless other wise specified.

Additionally, whenever you deal Weak Spot damage as the result of using a bonus action or reaction you must half the amount of Weak Spot damage dice you roll (rounded down, to a minimum of 1).

Fighting Style

At 2nd level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can’t take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.

Hunter Archetype

At 3rd level, you choose an archetype that you strive to emulate: the Trapper that is detailed at the end of the class description or one from another source. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 11th, and 15th level.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Hunters Eye

At 6th level, your visual and physical reaction time increases. You gain the following benefits:

• Whenever an enemy misses you with an attack, or you succeed a wisdom or dexterity based saving throw, you can move 10ft without expending any of your movement. Enemies have disadvantage on opportunity attacks against you while you are moving in this way.
• You can use an object interaction or make a perception check as a bonus action, as your ability to navigate and interact with your environment swiftly improves.
• You can add your wisdom modifier to your initiative rolls.

Resourceful Improvement

At 9th level, on top of your other crafty creations, you can now also create simple traps.

To create a trap, consult pgs 113 to 117 of Xanthars Guide to Everything. You must have an amount of levels in this class within the traps level range to be able to craft it.

The Traps save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your wisdom modifier, and its attack bonus = your proficiency bonus + your wisdom modifier.

The DM decides how much time it takes to make your trap and what resources you will need to craft it. Once the appropriate time has past, make a survival check with the DC set by your DM dependent upon how complex your trap is, how well you would wish to hide it, and its level range. If you fail, the traps effectiveness is halved and it is much more easily spotted. If you fail the check by 5 or more, the trap does not function when triggered.

Common Potions and Oils

Uncommon Potions and Oils

Potion of Courage

Potion, common

This concoction looks, smells, and tastes of strong alcohol.

After drinking this potion you gain advantage on saving throws against being frightened but suffer disadvantage on saving throws against being charmed. You also gain a +2 to any charisma based check, but suffer disadvantage on dexterity, wisdom, and intelligence based checks. You gain these effects for 1 hour.

Upon further inspection you discover that this concoction is strong alcohol.

Potion of Gliding

Potion, common

This potion is filled with a clear liquid. It is as light as a feather.

After drinking this potion you gain the effects of the spell feather fall for 1 hour. Additionally, while falling, you can choose to move 10ft laterally for every 30ft you fall vertically.

Potion of Mediocrity

Potion, common

This potion looks impeccably plain and boring.

After drinking this potion you must set one of your ability scores to 10 for 1 hour (which one you choose is your choice, however you cannot select one that is already at 10).

Slayer

Slayers take pride in slaying the largest of beasts. Some do it for coin, others for trophies. Slayers enjoy grappling and fighting their prey in close combat, and often believe hunters who use other methods are weak and cowardly.

Sharpened Claws

Beginning at 3rd level, you learn how to manipulate your hunting armory further, in new and deadly ways.

• Your unarmed strikes deal an additional 1d4 bludgeoning damage against your prey and count as weapon attacks. Further more, if you are not carrying a weapon or wearing a shield, you can attempt to grapple your prey or make an unarmed attack against them as a bonus action.

• While you are wielding a one handed melee weapon and no other weapons, your reach with that weapon is increased 5ft. Also you can increase your number Weak Spot damage dice while using this weapon by 1. Further more, if you are also not wearing a shield, you can attempt to grapple your prey as a bonus action.

• While you are wielding a melee weapon with two hands that lacks the great weapon or pole arm tag, you can use it with greater control. If you are using your strength modifier for attack and damage rolls with the weapon you can also add half your dexterity modifier to the attack and damage rolls made with the weapon (rounded down, to a minimum of 1).

• If you use a great weapon or pole arm to deal Weak Spot damage to a creature, you can expend a bonus action or reaction to deal your Weak Spot damage (as your weapons damage type) to another creature within reach of your weapon.

Rush of the Hunt

At 7th level, you revel in the rush of the hunt. Once per round, when you deal your Weak Spot damage, you can choose to gain half of the amount of damage your Weak Spot damage dealt as temporary hit points until the end of your next turn. While you have this temporary HP, you gain advantage on strength based checks and saving throws, and your carrying capacity (including your maximum load and maximum lift) doubles.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your wisdom modifier every short rest.

Restrain and Slay

At 11th level, you deal one extra Weak Spot damage dice against creatures per condition they are currently afflicted with. For example you would deal 3 extra Weak Spot damage dice when dealing your Weak Spot damage against a creature who is blinded, prone, and grappled.

Stop Hitting Yourself

Finally, at 15th level, when you remove a creatures attack option, you can use it once against a creature within the attack options reach, in the place of making a weapon attack on your turn. You can only do this once per attack option you have removed, and the attack option must be a touch or weapon attack.

Anything for the Hunt

Beginning at 3rd level, you can draw from your own life force to amplify your attacks. Instead of sacrificing an advantage dice to deal your Weak Spot damage, you can instead deal half your weak spot damage dice to your own hit points (rounded down, to a minimum of 1). Unless otherwise specified, whenever you deal Weak Spot damage to yourself, it is dealt as force damage.

Alternatively, you can choose to not half the damage dealt to yourself and as a result are able to also choose a different damage type for your Weak Spot damage this round. You can choose between fire, cold, necrotic and lightning damage. When you reach 10th level in this class you can extend this selection to acid, force, poison, radiant, and thunder damage.

Occult Maneuvers

At 7th level, you can deal half your Weak Spot damage dice to yourself (rounded down, to a minimum of 1) to perform one of the following Occult Maneuvers:

• Once per turn you can re roll a missed attack roll. You can add your wisdom modifier to the attack and damage rolls of this attack.

• You can add your wisdom modifier to all saving throws you make against spell effects until the end of your next turn.
• Once per turn when one of your prey within 60ft of you makes a weapon attack, you can use your reaction impose disadvantage on the attack. If this causes the attack to miss, you can deal your Weak Spot damage to it (as force damage, or the damage type you chose as part of your Anything for the Hunt feature) and you are refunded the reaction you expended.
• When you critically hit a creature and deal your Weak Spot damage to it, you can deal your Weak Spot damage dice to all other enemy creatures within 10ft of the original target.

You can do this a number of times equal to your wisdom modifier. You regain all expended uses on the completion of a short rest.

Hunt With Hate

At 11th level, you can no longer become frightened, and you have advantage on saving throws against magical Charm effects. Also whenever a creature attempts to frighten, intimidate, or charm you, and fails, you can expend your reaction to force a number of creatures within 60ft of you equal to you wisdom modifier to make a wisdom saving throw (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your wisdom modifier) or they become frightened of you until the end of your next turn.

Additionally if you reduce one of your prey to 0 hit points, you are healed an amount equal to your wisdom modifier.

Finally, you gain advantage on attack rolls against creatures who are frightened.

Sanguin Mastery

At 15th level whenever you roll a 4 on a Weak Spot damage dice, you can deal 1d4 force damage to yourself to deal 1 additional Weak Spot damage dice to the same target.

Beast Master

Beast masters attack their prey alongside tamed animals, striking simultaneously and deftly with their pets and companions. Beast masters train and improve their companions as much as they hone their own skills using teamwork to slay their prey.

Hunters Companion

Beginning at 3rd level, you gain a companion that accompanies you and fights alongside you it battle. Choose a beast no larger than Medium and that has a challenge rating of 1/4 or lower (appendix D of the players handbook presents statistics for the hawk, mastiff, and panther as examples). Add your proficiency bonus to the beasts AC, attack rolls, and damage rolls, as well as to any saving throws and skills it is proficient in. Its hit point maximum equals the hit point number in its stat block or 5x your ranger level, whichever is higher. Like any creature, it can spend Hit Dice during a short rest to regain hit points.

The companion obeys your commands as best as it can. It takes its turn on your initiative, though it doesn't take an action unless you command it to. On your turn, you can verbally command the beast where to move, and can command it to take the Dash, Disengage, Dodge, or Help action (no action required by you). If you use your action to do this, you can command it to attack a target. It will continue to attack the target without requiring your action on following turns until the target dies or falls unconscious. If you do not issue a command to your companion the DM decides what it does. Once you gain the Extra Attack feature, when taking the attack action you can instead give up one attack to command your companion to take the attack action.

If you are incapacitated or absent, your companion acts on its own, focusing on protecting you and itself. The Companion never requires your command to use its reaction, such as when making an opportunity attack.

If the your companion dies, you can obtain a new companion by spending 1 hour magically bonding with a beast that isn't hostile to you and that meets the requirements.

Exceptional Training

At 7th level, your companions exceptional training grants it the following benefits:

• Whenever an enemy misses your companion with an attack, or your companion succeeds a wisdom or dexterity based saving throw, it can move 10ft without expending any of its movement. Enemies have disadvantage on opportunity attacks against it while it moves in this way.
• Your companion can nimbly dodge out of the way of certain area Effects, such as a red dragon's fiery breath or an Ice Storm spell. Whenever it is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, it instead take no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails.
• You can now choose a companion with a size of Large. If your beast is size Medium, you can change it to size Large, as it matures and evolves. It evolves in this way on the completion of a long rest.

Beastial Fury

Starting at 11th level, when you command your companion to take the Attack action, the beast can make two attacks, or it can take the Multiattack action if it has that action.

In addition, whenever you add your wisdom modifier to your AC, it is also added to your companions AC for the same duration.

Unshakable Bond

Finally, at 15th level, your companion can add your wisdom modifier to its attack and damage rolls against creatures you have dealt weak spot damage to previously on the same round.

Trapper

Methodical planners and masters of ambush, trappers take pleasure in taking their time with trapping, and slaying their prey. Trappers see other sort of hunters as brash and dull, and take great pride when a successful hunt has come to a close without receiving a single scratch on their own hide. Trappers who work for coin are sought after as often for disarming traps as laying them, however if given a the choice a trapper will always accept the later.

Master Trapper

Finally, at 15th level, you gain advantage on attack rolls against creatures who are caught by your traps or were damaged by one of your traps within the same round.

Also, you gain advantage on all checks and saving throws to avoid and escape traps.

Trap prey, not the game session.

Making traps is a creative process, and setting an ambush requires planning. It is important to make sure that making these traps and planning these ambushes does not slow the game down to a crawl. Think of trap ideas outside of the game session, and ask your DM about them outside of the game. Always try to get other players involved in making traps and ambush's with you when possible.

Ranger

Rangers are more in tune with their environment than other hunters, and once familiar with a place will bend and exploit their surroundings to their advantage. They commonly do this through stealth and out maneuvering their enemies, striking from advantageous positions.

Camouflage

Also starting at 3rd level, you can spend 1 minute creating camouflage for yourself. You must have access to fresh mud, dirt, Plants, soot, and other naturally occurring materials with which to create your camouflage.

Once you are camouflaged in this way, you can try to hide by pressing yourself up against a solid surface, such as a tree or wall, that is at least as tall and wide as you are. You gain a +10 bonus to Dexterity (Stealth) checks as long as you remain there without moving or taking Actions. Once you move or take an action or a Reaction, you must camouflage yourself again to gain this benefit.

Adept Explorer

At 7th level, your experience with exploring increases:

• You can take the Hide action as a bonus action on your turn.
• You can't be tracked by nonmagical means, unless you choose to leave a trail.
• You can't be surprised while you are in your favored terrain.
• You gain advantage on any On the Hunt checks you make while within your favored terrain.
• You can re roll results you don't like once when rolling on the potions and oils tables, if you are foraging for them in your favored terrain.

Hightened Senses

Beginning at 11th Level, you gain preternatural Senses that help you fight creatures you can't see. When you Attack a creature you can't see, your inability to see it doesn't impose disadvantage on your Attack rolls against it. You are also aware of the location of any Invisible creature within 30 feet of you, provided that the creature isn't hidden from you and you aren't Blinded or Deafened.

Additionally, you can nimbly dodge out of the way of certain area Effects, such as a red dragon's fiery breath or an Ice Storm spell. Whenever you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw.

Improved Potions and Oils

Finally, at 15th level, you can roll on the rare magic potion table when foraging for potions in your favored terrain. You can only carry two potions or oils gained from this feature at any given time.

Rare Potions and Oils

d6	Result
1	Potion of Speed
2	Potion of Invisibility
3	Oil of Etherealness
4	Potion of Heroism
5	Potion of Mind Reading
6	Potion of Superior Healing

Daredevil

Daredevils are seen as fools and farces by many hunters. This is due to their style of waging battle, as unlike other hunters they take pride in fighting with a flourish. For a daredevil a good hunt is one worthy of story, and while other hunters may despise them and their unnecessary and dull minded tactics, the common folk and storytellers flock to them to see and listen to their new tricks and tales.

Tricks

You can attempt the following tricks at 3rd level.

(0) Flourish. When you make a weapon attack, you can suffer disadvantage on the attack. Doing so allows you to add your wisdom modifier to the damage of this attack.

(1) Trick Attack. Once per turn when rolling damage with a weapon attack, any time a Weak Spot damage dice rolls a result of 4 you gain 1 adrenaline point.

(1) Relent. When you are rolling a weapon attack with disadvantage, you can re roll the lower dice once. You can only use this trick once per attack.

(1) Feint. As a bonus action, force a creature you can see within 30ft of you to make a wisdom saving throw. On a failure you gain advantage on your next weapon attack against them this turn.

(1) Duck and Weave. You can expend your bonus action to grant yourself +1 AC, and whenever you move 10ft without expending your movement, you instead move 15ft. You gain these effects until the beginning of your next turn.

(2) Flow. When you sacrifice an advantage dice to allow yourself to deal your Weak Spot damage, expending your movement does not stop you from dealing your Weak Spot damage this turn.

(2) Ricochet. You can make one ranged weapon attack against an enemy you cannot see this turn. They gain the benefits of 3/4 cover, and you suffer -5 to the attack roll.

(2) Ram. When dealing Weak Spot damage to a target with a melee attack, for every consecutive 10ft you moved in a line this turn towards the target directly before making the attack, the target takes 1 additional Weak Spot damage dice.