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 favor