Arcane Hunter (Ranger/Wizard)

(Original Concept by Kyras Ausks)

Primary: Ranger.

Secondary: Wizard.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Dice: d8.

Bonus Skills and Ranks: The arcane archer may select three wizard skills to add to his class skills in addition to the normal ranger class skills. The arcane archer gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 4 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The arcane archer is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with light armor, and with shields. An arcane hunter can cast arcane hunter spells while wearing light armor and using a shield without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. Like any other arcane spellcaster, an arcane hunter wearing medium or heavy armor incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component. A multiclass arcane hunter still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes.

Spellcasting: An arcane hunter casts arcane spells drawn from the arcane hunter’s spell list. An arcane hunter must choose and prepare his spells in advance.To learn, prepare, or cast a spell, the arcane hunter must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against an arcane hunter's spell is 10 + the spell level + the arcane hunter's Intelligence modifier.

Like other spellcasters, an arcane hunter can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Arcane Hunter. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Intelligence score.

An arcane hunter may know any number of spells. He must choose and prepare his spells ahead of time by getting 8 hours of sleep and spending 1 hour studying his spellbook. While studying, the arcane hunter decides which spells to prepare.

Spellbooks: An arcane hunter must study his spellbook each day to prepare his spells. He cannot prepare any spell not recorded in his spellbook except for read magic, which all arcane hunters can prepare from memory. An arcane hunter begins play with a spellbook containing three 1st-level arcane hunter spells of his choice and adds detect magic and read magic to his spellbook as 1st–level spells. The arcane hunter also selects a number of additional 1st-level arcane hunter spells equal to his Intelligence modifier to add to his spellbook. At each new arcane hunter level, he gains two new arcane hunter spells of any spell level or levels that he can cast (based on his new arcane hunter level) for his spellbook. At any time, an arcane hunter can also add spells found in other spellbooks to his own.

An arcane hunter can learn spells from a wizard’s spellbook, just as a wizard can from an arcane hunter’s spellbook, if the spell is on the wizard’s spell list. The spells learned must be on the arcane hunter spell list, as normal. An alchemist can learn formulae from a arcane hunter’s spellbook, if the spells are also on the alchemist spell list. An arcane hunter cannot learn spells from an alchemist. An arcane hunter can learn spells from another arcane hunter’s spellbook.

Favored Enemy (Su): This is exactly like the ranger ability of the same name, except that the arcane hunter gains only one favored enemy. At 5th level and every five levels thereafter, the bonus against his favored enemy increases by +1, to a maximum of +6 at 20th level. The arcane hunter gains no additional favored enemies at such intervals.

Hunter’s Weapon (Ex): At 1st level, an arcane hunter begins play with a hunter’s weapon at no cost. A hunter’s weapon is a family heirloom, handed down through the generations. This weapon is always masterwork quality, but is not made of any special material. The base cost of a hunter’s weapon gained at 1st level cannot exceed 100 gp in value (the masterwork quality is not calculated into this amount). Through special training, only the arcane hunter knows how to use this weapon properly. An arcane hunter’s weapon is different from those of its type and is considered an exotic weapon. Any creature that attempts to wield or use it treat the hunter’s weapon as an exotic weapon (even if it is not normally considered an exotic weapon), and takes a –4 penalty on all attack rolls. The creature must take the Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat and select the specific weapon type to be able to wield an arcane hunter’s weapon without any penalty.

Scribe Scroll: At 1st level, an arcane hunter gains Scribe Scroll as a bonus feat. This ability replaces wild empathy.

Combat Style Feats: This is exactly like the ranger’s ability of the same name, except that the arcane hunter must select a combat style that compliments his hunter’s weapon. For example, if an arcane hunter’s weapon is a longsword, he must choose either the Two Weapon or Weapon and Shield combats style, while an arcane hunter with a longbow as his hunter’s weapon must choose the Archery combat style.

Magical Aptitude: At 2nd level, an arcane hunter gains Magical Aptitude as a bonus feat. This ability replaces Endurance.

Favored Terrain (Ex): This is exactly like the ranger ability of the same name, except that an arcane hunter gains his 1st favored terrain at 3rd level, and his 2nd favored terrain at 13th level. An arcane hunter gains no additional favored terrains.

Arcane Hunter’s Bond (Su): At 4th level, an arcane hunter forms a bond with either a familiar or his hunter’s weapon. This bond can take one of two forms. Once the form is chosen, it cannot be changed. The first is a bond with a familiar of his choice. This ability functions like wizard’s familiar ability (which is part of the Arcane Bond class feature), except that the arcane hunter's effective wizard level is equal to his arcane hunter level –3.

An arcane hunter’s familiar has the following additional changes.

Eye of the Beast (Su): The arcane hunter has an empathic link with his familiar to a 1 mile distance. The arcane hunter can communicate empathically with the familiar. If the arcane hunter closes his eyes and concentrates as a full-round action, he can see through its eyes as well. Because of the link's limited nature, only general emotions can be shared, while all that the familiar sees is seek in stark color and detail by the arcane hunter. The arcane hunter has the same connection to an item or place that his familiar does. This ability otherwise functions as and replaces empathic link.

In addition, the familiar gains one of the following abilities, as determined by its master’s hunter’s weapon. If his hunter’s weapon is a melee weapon, his familiar gains the Flanking Ally ability. If his hunter’s weapon is a ranged or thrown weapon, the familiar gains the Spot for the Shot ability. Either of these abilities replaces the Speak with Master and Scry on Familiar abilities.

Flanking Ally (Ex): The arcane hunter can use his familiar to flank a single target for 1 round. The arcane hunter gains a +2 flanking bonus to all melee attacks made against the target during that round. The arcane hunter can use this ability a number of times per day equal to his Intelligence modifier.

Spotter for the Shot (Ex): The arcane hunter can use his familiar to distract a single target and deny that target cover for 1 round, even if the target is under cover. The arcane hunter can then his lob ranged weapons or ammunition over cover or bounce them off of different obstacles towards the target as part of a full attack action. This difficult shot is made with a –4 penalty to his attack roll and a –30 ft. penalty to the weapon’s range. If the attack hits, it deal double damage. At 12th level, these penalties improve to a –2 penalty to the attack roll and -15 ft. penalty to range.

The second option is to form a bond with his hunter’s weapon. An arcane hunter gains Weapon Focus with his hunter’s weapon as a bonus feat. He also gains a +2 competence bonus to his CMB when making disarm, grapple, or sunder combat maneuvers, and to his CMD when defending against such maneuvers while wielding his hunter’s weapon. In addition, an arcane hunter can alter the physical properties of his hunter’s weapon, enabling it to bypass damage reduction of one the following types: bludgeoning, cold iron, piercing, silver, or slashing. This effect only functions for him and once chosen, it cannot be changed until he prepares his spells the following day. The affected weapon still inflicts damage of its normal type and its hardness and hit points are unchanged. This affect lasts for a number of rounds per day equal to his arcane hunter level. These rounds do not need to be consecutive.

An arcane hunter can add additional magic abilities to his bonded hunter’s weapon as if he has the required Item Creation Feats and if he meets the level prerequisites of the feat. Otherwise, he can add additional magic abilities by spending the appropriate amount of money to have it enchanted.

If a bonded hunter’s weapon is damaged, it is restored to full hit points the next time the arcane hunter prepares his spells. If the bonded hunter’s weapon is lost or destroyed, it can be replaced after 1 week in a special ritual that costs 200 gp per arcane hunter’s level plus the cost of the masterwork item. This ritual takes 8 hours to complete. Items replaced in this way do not possess any of the additional enchantments of the previous bonded item. An arcane hunter can designate an existing magic weapon as his bonded item, as long as it is the same type as his hunter’s weapon. This functions in the same way as replacing a lost or destroyed item except that the new magic item retains its abilities while gaining the benefits and drawbacks of becoming a bonded hunter’s weapon.This ability replaces hunter’s bond.

Enhanced Weapon (Su): At 5th level, when an arcane hunter wields, throws, or fires a nonmagical version of his hunter’s weapon (or his bonded hunter’s weapon) during combat it becomes magical, gaining a +1 enhancement bonus. Unlike magic weapons created by normal means, the arcane hunter need not spend gold pieces to accomplish this task. However, an arcane hunter’s magic weapon only functions for him.

In addition, the arcane hunter's weapon gains a number of additional qualities as he gains additional levels. The elemental, elemental burst, and hunter related qualities can be changed once per day, or when the arcane hunter prepares spells after 8 hours of rest.

At 10th level, an arcane hunter’s nonmagical hunter’s weapon gains one of the following elemental themed weapon qualities: corrosive, flaming, frost, or shock. These qualities improve to corrosive burst, flaming burst, icy burst, or shocking burst at 17th level.

At 15th level, an arcane hunter’s nonmagical hunter’s weapon gains either the keen (melee) or distance (ranged or throwing) weapon quality.

At 20th level, an arcane hunter’s nonmagical hunter’s weapon gains one of the following weapon qualities: advancing, defiant, stalking, or wounding.

The bonuses granted by this ability apply as normal to weapons that have been enhanced with this ability. Only the larger enhancement bonus applies. Duplicate abilities do not stack.

These bonuses can be also added to a hunter’s weapon that is already magical, stacking with existing weapon bonuses to a maximum of +5. However, doing so consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property’s base price modifier and are added to any properties the hunter’s weapon already has, but duplicates do not stack. For example, a 16th level arcane hunter has a +3 dragon bane greataxe as his hunter’s weapon. He then adds the corrosive (a +1 weapon property) and keen (a +1 weapon property) weapon qualities to that weapon, with each consuming a +1 bonus from the weapon. His hunter’s weapon then becomes a +1 corrosive dragon bane keen greataxe. The hunter’s weapon must have at least a +2 enhancement bonus before any other properties can be added to it. An arcane hunter can only enhance one hunter’s weapon (magical or nonmagical) in this way at one time. If he uses this ability again, the first use immediately ends. This ability replaces 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th favored enemy.

Medium Armor (Ex): At 7th level, an arcane hunter gains proficiency with medium armor. An arcane hunter can cast arcane hunter spells while wearing medium armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. Like any other arcane spellcaster, an arcane hunter wearing heavy armor incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component.

Hunter’s Strike (Su): At 8th level, an arcane hunter gains the ability to deliver either a touch or area spell with his hunter’s weapon. If his hunter’s weapon is a melee weapon, he can deliver a spell from his arcane hunter’s spell list with the range of “touch” through his hunter’s weapon as part of a melee attack. Instead of the free melee touch attack normally allowed to deliver the spell, an arcane hunter can make one free melee attack with his weapon (at his highest base attack bonus) as part of casting this spell. If successful, this melee attack deals its normal damage as well as the effects of the spell. This attack uses the weapon’s critical range (20, 19–20, or 18–20), but the spell effect only deals ×2 damage on a successful critical hit, while the weapon damage uses its own critical modifier.

Alternatively, if his hunter’s weapon is a ranged weapon, he can place an area spell upon a missile or thrown weapon. When the missile fired or the weapon is thrown, the spell's area is centered where the missile or weapon lands, even if the spell could normally be centered only on the caster. This ability allows the arcane hunter to use the weapon’s range rather than the spell's range. A spell cast in this way uses its standard casting time and the arcane hunter can make one free ranged attack with his weapon (at his highest base attack bonus) as part of casting the casting. The missile must be fired or weapon thrown during the round that the casting is completed or the spell is wasted. If the missile or weapon misses, the spell is wasted.This ability replaces 2nd favored terrain.

Terrain Stride (Su): At 9th level, an arcane hunter can step into a land feature such as a tree, a boulder, or a stream, as determined by his favored terrains, and magically infuse himself with it. Once within this feature, the arcane hunter you can teleport from that particular feature to another feature of the same kind. The effect lasts until the arcane hunter exits the feature, or after a number of minutes have passed equal to the arcane hunter’s level, whichever comes first. Each transport is a full-round action. Terrain stride has a transport range of 1,500 feet within the arcane hunter’s favored terrain, and only 500 feet when outside of it. This ability otherwise functions like the tree stride spell. The arcane hunter can use this ability a number of times per day equal to his intelligence modifier. This ability replaces evasion. 

Deadly Strike (Su): In lieu of his regular attacks, once per day, an arcane hunter of 18th level or higher can make a single attack roll with his hunter’s weapon (melee or ranged weapon) against each and every target within range, to a maximum of one target for every arcane hunter level he has earned. Each attack uses the arcane hunter’s primary attack bonus, and each enemy may only be targeted by a single attack. This ability replaces 4th favored terrain.

ARCANE HUNTER SPELL LIST

Insightful minds gain access to the following spells.

1st-Level Arcane Hunter Spells—abundant ammunition, adjuring step, alarm, ant haul, anticipate peril ,aspect of the falcon, blend, bowstaff, burning hands, call animal, calm animals, charm animal, cloak of shade, compel hostility, comprehend languages, dancing lantern, deadeye’s lore, detect aberration, detect animals or plants, detect magic, detect poison, detect snares and traps, diagnose disease, endure elements, entangle, expeditious retreat, feather fall, feather step, gravitybow, hide from animals, horn of pursuit, hunter’s howl, ironbeard, jump, keen senses, keep watch, know the enemy, lead blades, liberating command, longshot, longstrider, mage hand, magic fang, mount, negate aroma, obscuring mist, pass without trace, read magic, residual tracking, shield, shock shield, shocking grasp, speak with animals, summon minor ally, summon nature’s ally I, sun metal, tireless pursuit, true strike, unerring weapon, unprepared combatant, whispering lore.

2nd-Level Arcane Hunter Spells—accelerate poison, acid arrow, acute senses, allfood, animal aspect, animal messenger, ant haul (communal), arrow eruption, aspect of the bear, badger’s ferocity, barksin, bear’s endurance, blood transcription, bloodhound, brow gasher, cat’s grace, chameleon stride, create treasure map, cure light wounds, darkness, darkvision, delay poison, eagle eye, effortless armor, endure elements (communal), flaming sphere, forest friend, frigid touch, glide, groundswell, guiding star, gust of wind, hold animal, levitate, lockjaw, owl’s wisdom, perceive cues, protective spirit, reloading hands, resist energy, returning weapon, ricochet shot, scorching ray, shatter, slipstream, speak with plants, spider climb, stone call, summon nature’s ally II, warding weapon, wartrain mount, web shelter, web, whispering wind, wilderness soldier.

3rd-Level Arcane Hunter Spells—ablative barrier, animal aspect (greater), beast shape I, blessing of the mole, blood biography, burrow, burst of speed, campfire wall, campfire wall, cloak of winds, cloak of winds, companion mind link, cure moderate wounds, darkvision (communal), delay poison (communal), diminish plants, dispel magic, feather step (mass), fireball, flame arrow, haste, heroism, hide campsite, hunter’s eye, instant enemy, keen edge, lightning bolt, locate weakness, locate weakness, magic fang (greater), neutralize poison, nondetection, plant growth, protection from energy, rage, reduce animal, remove disease, repel vermin, resist energy (communal), returning weapon (communal), snare, soothing word, spike growth, strong jaw, summon nature’s ally III, tireless pursuers, tree shape, venomous bolt, versatile weapon, ward of the season, water walk, wind wall, wind wall.

4th-Level Arcane Hunter Spells—aspect of the stag, beast shape II, bloody claws, bow spirit, command plants, cure serious wounds, darkvision (greater), find quarry, fire trap, freedom of movement, ghost wolf, grove of respite, hallucinatory terrain, ice storm, named bullet, nondetection (communal), protection from energy (communal), share senses, shout, solid fog, stone shape, stoneskin, summon nature’s ally IV, terrain bond, wall of fire, wall of ice, water walk (communal).

5th-Level Arcane Hunter Spells—absorb toxicity, animal growth, aspect of the wolf, beast shape III, blessing of the salamander, break enchantment, commune with nature, fickle winds, fire snake, geyser, hostile juxtaposition, life bubble, lightning arc, mage’s faithful hound, plant shape I, raise animal companion, summon nature’s ally V, transmute mud to rock, transmute rock to mud, tree stride, wreath of blades.

6th-Level Arcane Hunter Spells—beast shape IV, cold ice strike, conjure black pudding, contagious flame, control water, dispel magic (greater), guards and wards, heroism (greater), legend lore, move earth, named bullet (greater), plant shape II, sirocco, summon nature’s ally VI, undeath ward.

Table: Arcane Hunter