Hunter Noble
“May the spirits guide me through the hunt.”
- Donolj, Gulg noble before the Red Moon Hunt
Hunter Nobles are hunters who have been accepted in the Hunter Cult by the Oba of Gulg. This is done when an aspiring hunter, after years of training, artfully brings back enough heads on the morning following the Red Moon Hunt. They can then start training as elites in the Hunter Dagada and become nobles.
Humans, being the most popular race of Gulg, tend to be the majority in the cult, but half-elven or dwarven nobles are not unheard of. The nomadic elves usually steer clear of the nobles’ cult for they usually can’t abide by its beliefs and honour code.
The Hunter Nobles of Gulg are primarily found in the Crescent Forest, hunting prey, be they animal or Nibenese lumberjack. They are providers of the city but can also serve as scouts or leaders for Gulg’s army. Sometimes, a particularly skilled noble will be sent by the Sorcerer-Queen herself as a bounty hunter to bring back a wanted felon… that is, someone who has upset the Oba and who will pay dearly for the mistake.
Hit Die: d8
Requirements
To qualify to become a hunter noble, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Skills: Hide 6 ranks, Move silently 6 ranks, Survival 6 ranks.
Feats: Track.
Special: Must be accepted as a noble by the Oba after the Red Moon Hunt.
Class Skills:
ClassLevel Base Attack Bonus FortSave RefSave WillSave Special
1st +1 +0 +2 +0 Ambition, Prey, Hunter’s hut
2nd +2 +0 +3 +0 Fast tracking, Pure instinct
3rd +3 +1 +3 +1 Pacekeeping
4th +4 +1 +4 +1 Move like the wind
5th +5 +1 +4 +1 Oba’s blessing, Pure instinct
6th +6 +2 +5 +2 Traceless track
7th +7 +2 +5 +2
8th +8 +2 +6 +2
9th +9 +3 +6 +3 Pure instinct
10th +10 +3 +7 +3 The Oba’s chosen
The hunter noble’s class skills (and key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (geography), Knowledge (nature), Knowledge (religion), Knowledge (warcraft)Listen (Wis), Move silently (Dex), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis).
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Class features
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Hunter Nobles are proficient light armor and with both simple and martial weapons.
Ambition (Ex): Gulg’s hunters need to be ambitious to strive as nobles for the Oba’s fickle nature tires easily of lazy fools. The hunters must become extremely observant when it comes to their prey. At first level, this translates in an insight bonus equal to the Hunter Noble’s level to Listen, Spot and Survival checks related to the whereabouts of the prey (see below).
Hunter’s hut (Ex): Recognition as a noble comes with privileges and responsibilities. When the Queen of the Crescent Forest gives the title of noble to a hunter after the Red Moon Hunt, the hunter is granted, if he so wishes, slave companions to train and hunt with equal to twice the HD of his Hunter Noble class levels. He is also taught the Gulgan High Speech which is a necessity if one wishes to communicate in the Queen’s court. His prestige also grants him a bonus of +4 to intimidate or diplomacy checks when dealing with Gulg’s populace for they are awed by Queens chosen nobles (although less than her templars).
*This could be one advantage or many slighter ones... but it could also be a responsibility like a tithe in meat and pelts and/or presence at cult ceremonies, etc. Also, the name of the ability is apt to change (like Oba's recognition, for example).
Prey (Ex): A hunter always studies his prey before engaging the hunt. At first level, the character can target a creature to be a prey. The hunter must observe the foe that is present and visible for at least 3 minutes or a description of the foe for 10 minutes. This relates to determining the weight of the target, the way it walks or moves, etc. Any interruption ruins the attempt and the hunter must start the process over. Once the study is over, the target becomes the prey and the hunter receives advantages against her (see below). A Hunter Noble may have up to one prey for every two Hunter Noble class levels he has at once and all these must be within 30 feet of each other. The honour surrounding the Hunter Cult’s beliefs are so strong that if the hunter decides to let the prey go free or to choose another prey not already targeted, he loses XP equal to the amount he would have gained for defeating the prey.
Fast tracking (Ex): At 2nd level, a Hunter Noble no longer suffers a -5 penalty on Survival checks for tracking at normal speed.
Pure instinct (Ex): At 2nd, 5th and 7th level the hunter learns to act less with thoughts and more with instinct. This translates the Alertness feat 2nd level, +4 insight bonus to initiative that stacks with the Improved initiative feat at 5th level and the Scent ability at 9th level.
*I'm not exactly sure about how I want this one to work.
Pacekeeping (Ex): At 3rd level, the hunter tracking his prey can raise his own speed by up to +5 feet per Hunter Noble level, to a maximum value equal to the prey’s speed.
Move like the wind (Su): At 4th level, the hunter ignores armor check penalties on his move silently and hide checks. In addition, he no longer suffers the -5 penalty on those checks when moving at speeds between half and full.
The Oba’s blessing (Su): At 5th level, the Hunter Noble receives a vision while performing in a Cult ceremony. This brings him closer to his fetish animal spirit. It permits him to call the spirit into himself and gain a +4 enhancement bonus to the hunter’s ability that best fits his spirits nature. For example, this would mean +4 to strength for a bear fetish. This can be done once per day and lasts one minute per Hunter Noble level.
*This could use a little work like being directly related to the actual material fetish the hunter owns.
Traceless track (Su): At 6th level, the hunter is so attuned to the forest that he can track a creature moving under the influence of pass without trace or similar effect, though he suffers a -10 circumstance penalty on his Survival check.
The Oba’s chosen (Su): The hunter gets even closer to his forest spirit by achieving mystic trances within the Cult’s ceremonies. He can now Wild shape into his spirit animal 3 times per day.
*This also needs work... I just put wild shape so it wouldn't be empty.
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These are important things to keep in mind for the Hunter noble:
-A HuN is ambitious and honor-bound by the Cult's beliefs. The Cult's main belief is to hunt with instinct only... without thought.
-The Hunter Cult revolves around Lalali-Puy, which is the Cult's goddess.
I was wondering if I should put in some cohort slave or slaves, Hunter Nobles are known to sometimes hunt with slave-trackers to bring in the prey. It could be a bit like Animal companion. But I'm a little reluctant since hunter wannabes already hunt with them. So, this is not done but what do you think of it yet?
Judaga Warrior
“Your head is mine.”
- Jabori, dwarven Judaga meeting a Nibenese scout.
Judaga warriors are the elite of Gulgs’ army. Trained to fight within the confines of the forest, these head-hunters make superb ambushers and stealthy skirmishers, appearing amidst a group of Nibenese woodcutter crew and leaving with there heads as ghosts would. Usually, the Judagas are trained after the Forest Walk, once their vocation as warriors are assured but it is possible for Judagas to come from other vocations later on; in the end, it’s up to the templar in command to decide who to train for his unit.
All races have been seen as elite head-hunters at a time or another but the rarest would be the halflings. The halflings have mostly all fled since the Oba tried to force them into service and the ones left have either accepted to bow to her or are thrown in her dungeons.
Hit Die: d12
Requirements
To qualify to become a Judaga warrior, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Skills: Attack bonus +3, Survival 6.
Feats: Death blow.
Special: Must be accepted to train by the unit’s templar commander.
Class Skills:
ClassLevel Base Attack Bonus FortSave RefSave WillSave Special
1st +1 +0 +0 +2
2nd +2 +0 +0 +3
3rd +3 +1 +1 +3
4th +4 +1 +1 +4
5th +5 +1 +1 +4
The hunter noble’s class skills (and key ability for each skill) Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (nature), Knowledge (war), Listen (Wis), Move silently (Dex), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class features
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Judaga warriors are proficient light armor, shields and with both simple and martial weapons.
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BTW, I see Gulgans as Brut... Barbarians more than Fighters.
There is also the Judaga archer which would be based a little bit more on the Ranger or Fighter. There HD would be d8s and there abilities would be along the lines of Concealment reduction/Cover reduction for hitting foes, and maybe smite infidel.
Any thoughts?
Granted it'll mean you have to wait one more level(4 instead of 3) but that means you can get that extra feat(as a fighter), can rage a twice per day(as a barbarian), acquire an animal companion(as a ranger) or can turn undead(as a paladin), all of them(except maybe the animal companion) having better effects and still have a prestige class that does the same or actually better(more/better skills, same saves/BAB, better class features) then the one you've described.
Come to think of it, why wouldn't the Hunter's be a Bloodhound organisation?
Addendum: I see a lot of prestige classes from Masters of the Wild doing really well in the Dark Sun campaign.
Foe Hunter, Forsaker, Bloodhound, Bane of Infidels, Blighter *Drools*
Plus, I don't use Paladins in my campaign, and anyways other classes than Ranger and/or Barbarians shouldn't be able to attain levels in that PrC at earlier levels.
As for attaining the PrC at 4th level... sure, but in another way, it's really the player's choice.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Other thoughts?
Its been awhile, haven't worked much with d20 for awhile too. Anyways, was just browsing, and came upon this thread. The character Shei-Nad being a Jugada, it was one of the first prestige class I worked on.
Jugada
Prerequisites:
Region: Gulg.
BAB: +4.
Skills: Hide 4 ranks, Knowledge(Gulg) 2 ranks, Listen 4 ranks, Move Silently 8 ranks, Spot 4 ranks, Survival 8 ranks.
Feats: Endurance, Track, Weapon Focus(Spears).
Special: You must have participated in the Red Moon Hunt and returned the head of a quarry to the Hunt Master of Gulg.
Features
Hit Die: d8.
Alignment: Any.
BAB: Good (+1/level)
Saves: Fort: Good, Ref: Good, Will: Bad.
Skill Points: 6.
Class Skills: Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (nature, nobility) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Tumble (Dex), Use Rope (Dex).
Weapon and Armor: No gain.
Level 1:
Favored Terrain (Forest): As the complete warrior ability.
Noble: Gain Noble feat (basically gives noble status and +2 to charisma related checks in Gulg)
Head Hunter +1: You gain this bonus as a favored enemy bonus against ALL humanoids.
Level 2:
Swift Tracker: As PHB.
Woodland Stride: As PHB.
Level 3:
Fast Movement: As PHB.
Level 4:
Head Hunter +2
Level 5:
Stealth Run: Hide and Move Silently: No penalty at normal move. -10 at double.
Level 6:
Blessing of the Red Moon: Gain Low-light vision. Improve to x3 if you already have it.
Level 7:
Head Hunter +3
Level 8:
Born Predator: You can take 10 on Hide and Move Silently checks even when under stress or distracted.
Level 9:
Making the Kill: Make Coup de Grace as free action instead of standard action, or standard action instead of full round action.
Level 10:
Death Attack: As DMG, DC 20+Wis mod.
Head Hunter +4
Hope its useful. Really have to post my stuff. Been done since like summer...
I sort of get what you mean but I've set out to make a PrC with the DS feel and especially the Gulg feel. The Bloodhound is the PrC I'm basing my class on but it is a bounty hunter more than a Hunter. And a hunter with animalistic instinct and fanatiscism toward their forest goddess is what I'm looking for.
Plus, I don't use Paladins in my campaign, and anyways other classes than Ranger and/or Barbarians shouldn't be able to attain levels in that PrC at earlier levels.
As for attaining the PrC at 4th level... sure, but in another way, it's really the player's choice.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Other thoughts?
Oh, no. I completely agree with you on this, however the current set-up doesn't reflect this idea, is all I'm saying.
The PrC posted by Shei-Nad is a better reflection of what a Hunter Noble could be like, but still lacks the core power of this potential PrC IMO.
Again, in my opinion, if you want to create a hunter, add abilities that increase the Hide in Shadows, Move Silently aswell as maybe adding a sneak attack modifier to the whole deal. Low-light vision or Dark vision would also be great idea's, however most races (other then humans and halflings IIRC) already possess this ability so it's sorta a void area.
You could ofcourse give them a bonus on attacking in the dark instead and IMO this would work out better for all races.
Also you might want to consider adding a favoured enemy to the list every few levels, simply so that you don't drop the bonusses the ranger-class provides(Who, IMO are the closest thing to imitate the Noble Hunter of the core classes.)
Then for the Noble part of the Noble Hunter give a neat little bonus when dealing with people from Gulg and anywhere where the inhabitants of Gulg are appreciated.
Jugada
Prerequisites:
Region: Gulg.
BAB: +4.
Skills: Hide 4 ranks, Knowledge(Gulg) 2 ranks, Listen 4 ranks, Move Silently 8 ranks, Spot 4 ranks, Survival 8 ranks.
Feats: Endurance, Track, Weapon Focus(Spears).
Special: You must have participated in the Red Moon Hunt and returned the head of a quarry to the Hunt Master of Gulg.
Features
Hit Die: d8.
Alignment: Any.
BAB: Good (+1/level)
Saves: Fort: Good, Ref: Good, Will: Bad.
Skill Points: 6.
Class Skills: Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (nature, nobility) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Tumble (Dex), Use Rope (Dex).
Weapon and Armor: No gain.
Level 1:
Favored Terrain (Forest): As the complete warrior ability.
Noble: Gain Noble feat (basically gives noble status and +2 to charisma related checks in Gulg)
Head Hunter +1: You gain this bonus as a favored enemy bonus against ALL humanoids.
Level 2:
Swift Tracker: As PHB.
Woodland Stride: As PHB.
Level 3:
Fast Movement: As PHB.
Level 4:
Head Hunter +2
Level 5:
Stealth Run: Hide and Move Silently: No penalty at normal move. -10 at double.
Level 6:
Blessing of the Red Moon: Gain Low-light vision. Improve to x3 if you already have it.
Level 7:
Head Hunter +3
Level 8:
Born Predator: You can take 10 on Hide and Move Silently checks even when under stress or distracted.
Level 9:
Making the Kill: Make Coup de Grace as free action instead of standard action, or standard action instead of full round action.
Level 10:
Death Attack: As DMG, DC 20+Wis mod.
Head Hunter +4
Hope its useful. Really have to post my stuff. Been done since like summer...
There are some pretty good abilities in there Shei-Nad, the only thing is, I make a distinction between the Judagas, which are elite warriors in Gulg's army and may come from pretty much any class (noble or otherwise), and the Hunter Nobles which are nobles who had a successful hunt and were accepted as such by Lalali-Puy. They can still be Judagas and commanders of army units but being Judaga doesn't necessarily mean you achieved a Red Moon Hunt or that you're part of the noble class (Hunter's Cult).
If you don't mind though, I will use some of your ideas for my PrC.
Other ideas (or criticism, good or bad) are welcome as well.
:raincloud
I sort of have this feeling there aren't many Gulg fans around...
:raincloud
I like the PrC but think it needs some more requirements. It grants a lot of great abilities but it doesn't take much to qualify for it.
The special requirment of being accepted as a noble by the Oba after the Red Moon Hunt is good, but I think more is needed. Maybe higher skill ranks or Skill focus (Survival) feat would be called for. Otherwise, its a well thought out PrC.
Just my two bits.
Judaga Warrior
“Your head is mine.”
- Jabori, dwarven Judaga meeting a Nibenese scout.
Judaga warriors are the elite of Gulgs’ army. Trained to fight within the confines of the forest, these head-hunters make superb ambushers and stealthy skirmishers, appearing amidst a group of Nibenese woodcutter crew and leaving with there heads as ghosts would. Usually, the Judagas are trained after the Forest Walk, once their vocation as warriors are assured but it is possible for Judagas to come from other vocations later on; in the end, it’s up to the templar in command to decide who to train for his unit.
All common humanoid races have been seen as elite head-hunters at a time or another but the majority are humans. The rarest would be the halflings for they have mostly fled since the Oba tried to force them into service. A very few of the ones left have accepted her offer; the rest were thrown in her dungeons.
Hit Die: d10
Requirements
To qualify to become a Judaga warrior, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Region: Gulg
BAB: +4
Skills: Hide 3, Intimidate 3, Survival 7.
Feats: Endurance, Death blow, Weapon focus (spear).
Special: Must be accepted to train by the unit’s templar commander.
Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special
1st +1 +0 +0 +2 Mother’s arms+1, Nibenese hatred
2nd +2 +0 +0 +3 Smite infidels 1/day
3rd +3 +1 +1 +3 Diehard, Mother’s arms +2
4th +4 +1 +1 +4 Smite infidels 2/day, Quick trophy
5th +5 +1 +1 +4 Death attack, Mother’s arms +3
Class Skills:
The hunter noble’s class skills (and key ability for each skill) Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (nature), Knowledge (war), Listen (Wis), Move silently (Dex), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class features
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Judaga warriors are proficient light armor, shields and with both simple and martial weapons.
Mother’s arms: Judaga warriors are trained to use the Crescent Forest’s trees to their best advantage. This gives them a +1 AC bonus at 1st level, +2 at 3rd and +3 at 5th.
Nibenese hatred: Young warriors are taught to hate Nibenese with a passion. This confers them with a +3 bonus to bluff, intimidate and sense motive check and a +3 to damage when dealing with Nibenese. The effects of two Nibenese hatred abilities from different classes do not stack.
Smite infidels: Judaga warriors can smite infidels, that is, all non-Gulgans, once per day at 2nd level and twice at 4th. This otherwise works the same as the smite ability in the PHB.
Diehard: Judaga warriors love and worship their forest goddess to the point of fighting for her when they should be unconscious. They gain this feat for free at 3rd level.
Quick trophy: Taking the heads of enemies becomes an art achieved even faster then before. Coup de graces are made as a free action at 4th level.
Death attack: The ambusher has now the ability to take the heads off before the opponent realizes it’s missing. Same as DMG.
Judaga Archer
“Where are you? Where are-uhk…”
- Remaining survivor of a woodcutting crew cut down by the lone Judaga archer hiding in the trees.
Judaga archers are the elite snipers of Gulgs’ army. Trained to fight within the confines of the forest, these head-hunters learn to make the most of the foliage they have grown to love and respect. Gulgan archers are very greedy when it comes to foes they have brought down and so many of them use paint on their arrows or spears to mark the prey so they can claim the heads later. Usually, the Judagas are trained after the Forest Walk, once their vocation as warriors are assured but it is possible for Judagas to come from other vocations later on; in the end, it’s up to the templar in command to decide who to train for his unit.
All common humanoid races have been seen as elite head-hunters at a time or another but the majority are humans. The rarest would be the halflings for they have mostly fled since the Oba tried to force them into service. A very few of the ones left have accepted her offer; the rest were thrown in her dungeons.
Hit Die: d8
Requirements
To qualify to become a Judaga archer, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Region: Gulg.
BAB: +4
Skills: Hide 7, Move silently 7, Survival 7.
Feats: Point blank shot, Precise shot, Death blow.
Special: Must be accepted to train by the unit’s templar commander.
Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special
1st +1 +0 +0 +2 Mother’s womb, Nibenese hatred
2nd +2 +0 +0 +3 Safe poison use
3rd +3 +1 +1 +3
4th +4 +1 +1 +4 I see you
5th +5 +1 +1 +4 Ghost of the forest
Class Skills:
The hunter noble’s class skills (and key ability for each skill) Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (nature), Knowledge (war), Listen (Wis), Move silently (Dex), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class features
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Judaga archers are proficient with light armor, shields and with both simple and martial weapons.
Mother’s womb: Judaga archers are trained to be snipers aiding the infantry from cover. This ability gives a +1 bonus per level of the Judaga archer to hide checks while in forest terrain.
Nibenese hatred: Young warriors are taught to hate Nibenese with a passion. This confers them with a +3 bonus to bluff, intimidate and sense motive check and a +3 to damage when dealing with Nibenese. The effects of two Nibenese hatred abilities from different classes do not stack.
Safe poison use: Same as DMG.
I see you: Running after enemies in the dense forest as taught Gulgan archers to shoot around trees and through bushes with deadly accuracy. The archer gains the Improved precise shot feat even if he doesn’t meet the prerequisites.
Ghost of the forest: When sniping, the archer who is hiding at least 10 feet away from his target may attempt to hide at half penalty. This stacks with the sniper feat.
Any constructive criticism is welcome, and I'm still working on the Hunter Noble.
Also the Mother's Arms sounds rather odd. If the Hunters use trees to their best advantage, wouldn't a cover-dealio work better? Maybe toned down abit?
Other then that, I like the classes, but am sortof wondering about their usefullness outside of the Crescent Forest at the moment.
Wouldn't it be easier to give them the Favoured Enemy ability instead of this Nibanese Hatred whatchamacallit?
With the Favoured enemy, you have a choice in what enemies you want to have. Gulg has a deep hatred toward Nibenay because they don't "respect" the forest... and what isn't clear about the abilitie's name?
Also the Mother's Arms sounds rather odd. If the Hunters use trees to their best advantage, wouldn't a cover-dealio work better? Maybe toned down abit?
The Gulgan populace worship their queen as a goddess. The goddess, their "mother", protects them hence Mother's Arm. But feel free with suggestions. Keep in mind I'm looking to make these PrCs steeped in Gulg's culture and creative ways to call the special features (fluff).
Other then that, I like the classes, but am sortof wondering about their usefullness outside of the Crescent Forest at the moment.
It isn't meant to be usefull outside the forest. I don't remember where (probably IT) but I've seen somewhere that within the forest, Gulg's army rules but out in the open, it's Nibenay's. So if you don't like forests or Gulg...
Thanks for the feedback, and waiting for more.
PB
As for what's wrong with the name, absolutely nothing other then my failing memory...and I ain't even old yet!
With regards to the Mother's Arms. Keep it the way it is. It makes sense now that you've explained it.
As for kewl names, that's a tough one...erm...I'll get back to you on those.
I would think you could force a person into a Favoured Enemy position. Sorta anyway.
Nibenese hatred is part of the PrC to show the way the training goes. It's part of their culture and Lalali-Puy wants her soldiers to go in a frenzied rage when fighting her enemy (this is done with propaganda, of course, but propoganda that's been going on for hundreds of years).
If a player wants to choose her favoured enemy, she can just keep at the ranger class... the Oba needs them too, ya know. ;)