Dark Stalker (Ranger/Rogue)

While many rangers stalk their prey from blinds or behind bushes, some prefer to seclude themselves in the shadows. Unlike other rangers, dark stalkers are not skilled in combat against specific races. Instead, they have become adept in the art of the sneak attack, which allows them to engage any opponent equally. Through their use of roguish tricks, stealth, and ambush, they can avoid needless injury to themselves or their quarry. While not as adept in various terrains as other rangers, dark stalkers compensate for this shortcoming through sudden and devastating strikes against their foes. (original Concept by Byrdology)

Primary Class: Ranger.

Secondary Class: Rogue.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Die: d10.

Bonus Skills and Ranks: The dark stalker may select three rogue skills to add to his class skills in addition to the normal ranger class skills, one of which must be Disable Device. The dark stalker gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 6 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The dark stalker is proficient with all simple and martial weapons plus the hand crossbow, with light armor, but not with shields (except tower shields).

Favored Sneak Strike (Ex): At 1st level, a dark stalker selects a creature type from the dark stalker favored enemies table. He gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival checks against creatures of his selected type. A dark stalker may make Knowledge skill checks untrained when attempting to identify these creatures. In addition, if a dark stalker can catch the creature when it is unable to defend itself effectively from his attack, he can strike a vital spot for extra damage.

A dark stalker's attack deals 1d6 points of extra damage anytime the creature would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the dark stalker flanks the creature. Should the dark stalker score a critical hit with a favored sneak strike, this extra damage is not multiplied. Ranged attacks can count as favored sneak strikes only if the creature is within 30 feet.

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

The dark stalker 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 dark stalker cannot favored sneak strike while striking a creature with concealment.

At 5th level and every five levels thereafter (10th, 15th, and 20th level), the dark stalker may select an additional favored enemy. At each such interval, the skill bonuses against any one favored enemy (including the one just selected, if so desired) increases by +2. In addition, the extra damage dealt against each favored enemy increases by 1d6. Thus a dark stalker with three favored enemies would deal 3d6 extra damage against his 1st favored enemy, 2d6 against his 2nd, and 1d6 against his third.

If the dark stalker chooses humanoids or outsiders as a favored enemy, he must also choose an associated subtype, as indicated on the table below. (Note that there are other types of humanoid to choose from—those called out specifically on the table below are merely the most common.) If a specific creature falls into more than one category of favored enemy, the dark stalker's bonuses do not stack; he simply uses whichever bonus is higher. This ability replaces favored enemy and favored terrain.

Stalker Devotions: Beginning at 1st level, a dark stalker can cast a small number of divine spells drawn from his list of devotions as a spell-like ability. A dark stalker’s selection of stalker devotion spells is limited to his list of stalker devotions (see below). The save DC for a saving throw against a stalker devotion is 10 + the devotion’s level + the dark stalker’s Wisdom modifier. At 1st level, a dark stalker can cast 1st-level devotions and each subsequent level of devotions every four levels thereafter, up to a maximum of 5th-level devotions at 17th level.

A dark stalker gains access to the following devotions: 1st level—ant haul, aspect of the falcon, call animal, calm animals, charm animal, detect snares and pits, feather step, hide from animals, illusion of calm, keen senses, know the enemy, longshot, longstrider, residual tracking, speak with animals, tireless pursuit, vanish; 2nd level—acute senses, animal aspect, aspect of the bear, badger’s ferocity, blur, cat’s grace, chameleon stride, darkness, forest friend, gravity bow, hunter’s eye, lead blades, locate weakness; 3rd level—bloody claws, burrow, burst of speed, deeper darkness, instant enemy, invisibility, tireless pursuers; 4th level—animal aspect (greater), aspect of the stag, commune with nature, displacement; find quarry, tree shape; 5th level—aspect of the wolf, freedom of movement, invisibility (greater), terrain bond.

At 1st level, a dark stalker may select one 1st–level spell from his list of devotions to prepare as his 1st–level devotion.

At 5th level, a dark stalker may select one 2nd–level devotion to prepare as his 2nd–level devotion.

At 9th level, a dark stalker may select one 3rd–level devotion to prepare as his 3rd–level devotion.

At 13th level, a dark stalker may select one 4th–level devotion to prepare as his 4th–level devotion. Also, a dark stalker can now select two devotions each of 1st–, 2nd–, and 3rd–level to prepare as his 1st–, 2nd–, and 3rd–level devotions.

At 17th level, a dark stalker may select one 5th–level devotion to prepare as his 5th–level devotion.

When casting a 1st–, 2nd–, or 3rd–level devotion spell, the dark stalker expends one daily use of his stalker devotion ability, while casting a 4th– or 5th–level devotion spells expends two daily uses of his stalker devotion ability. A dark stalker can cast use his stalker devotion ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + 1/2 his dark stalker level. A dark stalker can cast his stalker devotions as a swift action, and has a caster level equal to his dark stalker level. This ability, trapfinding, and improved ambush replace the ranger’s spellcasting ability.

Combat Style Feats: This is exactly like the ranger’s ability of the same name, except that the dark stalker may only select a combat style feat at 2nd, 10th, and 18th level.

Trapfinding: At 2nd level, a dark stalker gains the rogue’s trapfinding ability.

Rogue Talents: At 3rd level and every three levels thereafter, a dark stalker gains a rogue talent for which he qualifies. A dark stalker treats his level as his rogue level for the purpose of qualifying for talents with level-dependent requirements and calculating the effects of any talent or rogue ability he's chosen.

Alternatively, a dark stalker can learn how to create a snare trap and one other ranger trap of his choice (see the ranger’s Trapper archetype) in place of a rogue talent. At each interval thereafter, the dark stalker can learn another trap in place of a rogue talent. The ranger can use these traps a total number of times per day equal to 1/2 his ranger level + his Wisdom modifier. Once a trap is learned, it can’t be unlearned and replaced with a different type of trap. The dark stalker cannot select an individual trap more than once. This ability and advanced talents replace the combat style feats gained at 6th and 14th level and favored terrain.

Hunter’s Bond (Ex): This is exactly like the ranger ability of the same name, except that the dark stalker must select an animal companion, one specifically adept at stealth, such as a small or big cat, an eagle, or similar animal. The following is a list of typical animal companions that meet this stealth requirement: ant (giant), ape, bat (dire), bird, cat (big), cat, (small), chameleon (giant), dog, hyena, elk, gecko (giant), mantis (giant), monitor lizard, ram, rat (dire), roc, scorpion (giant), snake (constrictor), snake (viper), spider (giant), stag, trumpeter swan , vulture (giant), wasp (giant), weasel (giant), wolf. Additional animals may be added at the GM’s discretion.

Additionally, a dark stalker’s animal companion shares his favored sneak strike ability, just as it would have a ranger’s favored enemy. As a dark stalker has no favored terrain class feature, his companion can only share such a bonus if the dark stalker chooses the Favored Terrain rogue talent. Also, the dark stalker’s animal companion loses its shared spell ability and gains the following ability in stead.

Shared Stealth (Ex): If a dark stalker’s animal companion starts or ends its turn within 10 ft. of the dark stalker when he is using Stealth to hide, the companion can use the dark stalker’s Stealth check in place of its own. The animal companion cannot use shared stealth in a round in which it makes an attack.

Ambush (Ex): At 7th level, a dark stalker becomes fully practiced in the art of ambushing. When he acts in the surprise round, he can take a move action, standard action, and swift action during the surprise round, not just a move or standard action. This ability replaces woodland stride.

Quarry (Ex): This is exactly like the ranger ability of the same name, except that it corresponds to a specific individual creature, not a creature type.

Advanced Talents: At 12th level, a dark stalker can choose an advanced rogue talent whenever he could choose a rogue talent, or when she selects the Extra Rogue Talent feat. The dark stalker adds the following rogue abilities to the list of advanced talents he may select: Uncanny Dodge and Improved Uncanny Dodge. A dark stalker must select uncanny dodge before selecting improved uncanny dodge.

Shadow Camouflage (Ex): At 12th level, as long as a dark stalker is within 10 feet of an area of dim light, he can use the Stealth skill to hide, even if the area doesn't grant cover or concealment. A dark stalker cannot however, hide in his own shadow. This ability replaces camouflage.

Improved Ambush (Ex): At 14th level, whenever a dark stalker uses his ambush ability or he himself is ambushed, he is not caught flat-footed.

Improved Quarry (Ex): This is exactly like the ranger ability of the same name, except that it corresponds to a specific individual creature, not a creature type.

Hide in Shadows (Ex): At 17th level, a dark stalker can use the Stealth skill even while being observed. As long as he is within 10 feet of an area of dim light, a dark stalker can hide himself from view in the open without anything to actually hide behind. He cannot, however, hide in his own shadow. This otherwise functions as and replaces hide in plain sight.

Master Stalker (Ex): A dark stalker of 20th level becomes a master stalker. He can always move at full speed while using Survival to follow tracks without penalty. He can, as a standard action, make a single attack against a favored enemy at his full attack bonus. If the attack hits, the target takes 10d6 points of extra damage and must make a Fortitude save or become fatigued. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the dark stalker's level + the dark stalker's Wisdom modifier. A dark stalker can choose instead to deal an amount of nonlethal damage equal to the creature's current hit points and the creature becomes exhausted. A successful save negates this damage but not the exhausted condition. A dark stalker can use this ability once per day against each favored enemy type he possesses, but not against the same creature more than once in a 24-hour period. This ability replaces master hunter.

Table: Dark Stalker