Roaring Hunter (Hunter/Skald)

Some hunters have an affinity towards the arcane, feeling that magic is a part of the natural world. Lacking both sorcerous blood and wizardry training, roaring hunters access the arcane by emulating the wilderness, which they believe to be the source of all power. Their songs incorporate the drumming of rain or the howl of the wolf. More primal than the wildest skalds, roaring hunters inspire animals or beasts to outdo themselves in combat. (Original Concept by Noro)

Primary Class: Hunter.

Secondary Class: Skald.

Alignment: Any neutral.

Hit Dice: d8.

Bonus Skills and Ranks: The roaring hunter may select three skald skills to add to his class skills in addition to the normal hunter class skills. The roaring hunter gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 6 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The roaring hunter is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with light armor, medium armor, and with shields (except tower shields). A roaring hunter can cast bard spells while wearing light or medium armor, and using a shield without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. This does not affect the arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes. Like other arcane spellcasters, a roaring hunter wearing heavy armor incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has somatic components.

Spellcasting: A roaring hunter casts arcane spells drawn from the bard spell list and adds the following spells to his spell list at the indicated spell levels: 1st level–animal messenger, animal purpose training, calm animals, charm animal, hide from animals, magic fang, shield companion, summon nature’s ally I; 2nd level–animal aspect, hold animal, reduce animal, summon nature’s ally II; 3rd level–animal aspect (greater), carry companion, companion mind link, dominate animal, magic fang (greater), summon nature’s ally III; 4th level–animal growth, raise animal companion, summon nature’s ally IV; 5th level–awaken, summon nature’s ally V; 6th level–summon nature’s ally VI. A roaring hunter otherwise learns and casts spells as a skald of his roaring hunter level. He also gains bonus spells if he has a high Charisma score.

Hunter’s Song (Su): At 1st level, a roaring hunter gains the skald’s raging song ability, except for the following changes. A roaring hunter can only use hunter’s song to affect himself, or creatures of the animals and magical beast types. His animal companion is always affected if it is within the range of the empathic link ability. This ability and the animal rage song replace animal focus and second animal focus.

A roaring hunter gains the following hunter’s songs.

Animal Rage (Su): At 1st level, a roaring hunter gains the skald’s incited rage raging song and grants the benefits of that song to himself and any allied animal or magical beast within range. While this song is in effect, the roaring hunter also selects one animal aspect from those listed in the hunter’s animal focus ability and grants the bonus or special ability based on the type of animal selected and her roaring hunter level. The roaring hunter can grant the benefits of only one animal at a time. At 8th level, he can grant two different animal aspects to those affected by his animal rage song instead of one. The second aspect does not expend any extra rounds of hunter’s song.

Charming Song (Su): At 2nd level, a roaring hunter can expend rounds of his hunter’s song to charm one animal as the charm animal spell. The target creature must be within 90 feet, able to see and hear the roaring hunter, and capable of paying attention to him. The roaring hunter must also be able to see the creature affected. The target can make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the roaring hunter’s level + the roaring hunter’s Charisma modifier) to negate the effect. For every three levels a roaring hunter has attained beyond 2nd, he can target one additional animal with this ability.

Starting at 5th level, a roaring hunter can also affect a single Medium (or smaller) magical beast. At 8th level, he can affect a single Large magical beast or two Medium or smaller magical beasts. At 11th level, he can affect a single Huge magical beast, two Large magical beasts, or four Medium or smaller magical beasts.

This song is maintained for 1 minute per round of hunter’s song expended. Expending rounds of hunter’s song to maintain this song is a swift action. The charming song replaces precise companion and woodland stride.

Rage Powers: At 3rd level and every 3 levels thereafter, a roaring hunter learns a rage power that affects the roaring hunter and any allies under the influence of his animal rage song. This ability replaces teamwork feats.

Extra Summoning (Sp): At 10th level, a roaring hunter can cast a summon monster or summon nature's ally spell that he knows without expending a spell slot of the appropriate level once per day. This spell cannot be modified by metamagic. This ability replaces raise animal companion.

Wandering Song (Su): At 17th level, as long as a roaring hunter’s animal companion is within 1 mile of him (see improved empathic link), the animal companion can use his hunter’s song by making natural noises (howling, barking, etc.) to affect animals or magical beasts within range of it with the animal rage song. This counts against the roaring hunter’s daily rounds of hunter’s song ability. This ability replaces one with the wild.

Table: Roaring Hunter