Hunter Focus Alternatives

The hunter class is distinguished by its ability to assume animal aspects through the animal focus ability. Several archetypes offer alternative aspects, but some of these are difficult to reconcile with the theme of the archetype. Additionally, the archetype aspects are sometimes highly situational compared to the aspects available to the core class, making the archetype less appealing. It's not surprising; after all, you tend to start with the obvious and generic abilities, then go for increasingly niche choices as you try to add more options. It's a "difficult second album" situation. This is an attempt to address that by offering an alternative set of aspects for hunter archetypes.

Courtly Hunter

While most hunters find themselves at ease in the wildest parts of the world, courtly hunters instead make their homes in cultured urban environments. They and their animal companions are more refined than typical hunters, using their skills to navigate the winding paths of courtly intrigue as surely as other hunters find trails in the wilderness.

While I like the concept, I find it hard to reconcile the themes of court intrigue, ‘cultured’ and ‘refined’ with the beaver, frilled lizard, octopus and raccoon. In addition, the courtly hunter is significantly weakened by losing all of the attribute-boosting aspects, which are the most flexible and widely applicable, as well as being useful in combat. With the loss of teamwork feats and precise companion as well, the courtly hunter suffers a huge reduction in combat effectiveness in exchange for a boost in skills that’s modest for the hunter; the companion sees a much larger increase in skills, but is of course more restricted in using them. Ironically the companion could have benefited from a number of non-combat teamwork feats.

I’ve renamed the beaver, frilled lizard and raccoon after animals that seem to better fit the refined and noble theme of the archetype. The regal tiger is back, replacing that timeless emblem of aristocracy, the, uh, octopus. This was to a large extent because Escape Artist may be intrigue-themed, but it isn’t really befitting a member of the nobility. At the same time, Dexterity is valuable in combat, and offers benefits of grace and poise that do fit the courtly social scene. Similarly, the elephant is associated with nobility so I’ve offered it as a Strength-based replacement for the chamaeleon. Disguise isn’t really what the toffs do – what’s the point of being important if nobody knows?

Refined Focus (Su): A courtly hunter has access to a different set of animal aspects with her animal focus. She does not gain access to the bear, bull, frog, monkey, snake, stag, tiger, or wolf aspects. Instead, she gains access to the following aspects.

Bowerbird: The creature gains a +4 competence bonus on Craft checks. This bonus increases to +6 at 8th level and +8 at 15th level.

Eagle: The creature gains a +2 enhancement bonus to Charisma. This bonus increases to +4 at 8th level and +6 at 15th level.

Elephant: The creature gains a +2 enhancement bonus to Strength. This bonus increases to +4 at 8th level and +6 at 15th level.

Fox: The creature gains a +4 competence bonus on Bluff checks. This bonus increases to +6 at 8th level and +8 at 15th level.

Lion: The creature gains a +4 competence bonus on Intimidate checks. This bonus increases to +6 at 8th level and +8 at 15th level.

Magpie: The creature gains a +4 competence bonus on Sleight of Hand checks. This bonus increases to +6 at 8th level and +8 at 15th level.

Songbird: The creature gains a +4 competence bonus on Perform checks. This bonus increases to +6 at 8th level and +8 at 15th level.

Tiger: The creature gains a +2 enhancement bonus to Dexterity. This bonus increases to +4 at 8th level and +6 at 15th level.

This ability alters animal focus.

Plant Master

Some hunters form a bond with plant life instead of an animal and take on those aspects instead. These hunters form potent bonds with plant creatures, and their leafy or fungal friends are more than capable of anything another hunter’s animal allies can accomplish.

It’s worth noting that the plant master archetype replaces animal focus, but doesn’t mention second and third animal focus at all. Presumably the intention is to replace them with second and third plant focus rather than removing those abilities. In this archetype, the aspects are again rather situational and lack any general-purpose options, while some seem a bit tenuous. Can we really say that a spore has flying capabilities? Are water lilies actually notable for their swimming skills?

The bramble is a nice concept and offers something genuinely different; however, I’m concerned that this very limited damage will become irrelevant quickly in the face of damage reduction, not to mention ever-increasing hit points. Unlike the attribute-boosting aspects, there’s no handy 2nd-level spells to use as comparison – thorn body is a 4th-level spell and its duration is in rounds per level. The closest approximation is probably the pyrokineticist’s searing flesh talent, which offers 1/4 level in damage, but can be powered up through accepting burn and probably will be. An 8th-level kineticist will likely have at least a couple of points of burn invested in defence, giving 3 damage most of the time, and twice that at 15th level. I replaced this with a poison-themed ability inspired by the bitter pill alchemist talent. The doubling up of damage and sickening is compensated by the saving throw, and the vast number of things that are totally immune to poison.

The assassin vine fares appallingly in comparison to the mantis, leech, mongoose, scorpion, octopus.. everything, in fact. Not only is its grapple bonus lower (+2, +3, +4 versus +2, +4, +6) but it doesn’t gain a secondary benefit, unlike all of the others. I’ve added a minor damage boost during grapples to compensate and to more strongly mirror the plant.

The giant flytrap is a nice choice, but when I think of a giant flytrap devouring animals, “stealth” isn’t the concept that comes to mind. I’ve reduced the Stealth bonus and added a bonus on attacks of opportunity instead, reflecting the plant’s ability to snap shut on unwary passers-by.

I replaced the water lily with the virtually-unkillable rhododendron. This won’t make a hunter particularly deadly in combat, but does help them to stay alive.

Plant Focus (Su): A plant master can take on the aspect of a plant as a swift action. He must select one type of plant to emulate, gaining a bonus or special ability based on the type of plant emulated and his hunter level. The plant master can use this ability for a number of minutes per day equal to his level. This duration does not need to be consecutive but must be spent in 1-minute increments. He can emulate only one plant at a time.

The plant master can also apply one of these aspects to his plant companion. An aspect applied in this way does not count against the hunter’s minutes of duration per day—it remains in effect until he changes it. The companion’s aspect can be the same aspect the hunter has taken on or a different one. A plant master can select or change the plant foci on both himself and his plant companion as part of the same swift action.

Assassin Vine: The creature gains a +2 bonus on combat maneuver checks to grapple and damage rolls to deal damage with a successful grapple check. This bonus increases to +4 at 8th level and +6 at 15th level.

Creeping Vine: The creature gains a +4 competence bonus on Climb checks. This bonus increases to +6 at 8th level and +8 at 15th level.

Giant Flytrap: The creature gains a +2 competence bonus on Stealth checks and on attack rolls when making attacks of opportunity. This bonus increases to +4 at 8th level and +6 at 15th level.

Mushroom: The creature gains a +4 enhancement bonus on saves against poison. This bonus increases to +6 at 8th level and +8 at 15th level.

Nightshade: When the creature is hit by an unarmed strike or natural attack, the attacker gains the sickened condition for 1 round unless it succeeds at a Fortitude save (DC = 10 + half the hunter’s level + the hunter’s Wisdom modifier). If the attacker used a bite attack, it also suffers d6 damage (halved on a successful save), which is not subject to damage reduction. This is a poison effect. At 8th and 15th level, the duration increases by 1 round and the damage by 1d4.

Oak: The creature gains a +2 enhancement bonus to CMD. This bonus increases to +4 at 8th level and +6 at 15th level.

Rhododendron: The creature automatically stabilizes if reduced below 0 hit points, and increases its natural healing rate to 2 points per level. At 8th level, it adds its character level to its maximum negative hit points before death.

Shrieker: The creature gains darkvision with a range of 60 feet. At 8th level, the range increases by 30 feet. At 15th level, the creature also gains blindsense with a range of 10 feet.

This replaces animal focus.

I might add more ideas later on, but I've had these sitting around for a while and they ain't gonna get more topical now the second edition of Pathfinder is out. I admit, that has significantly dented my enthusiasm for finishing the many, many Pathfinder 1e-related things I got partway through writing. Particularly the ones intended for publication. Is there still much enthusiasm for the game out there, outside me?