Eldritch Hunter (Apath)
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Fearsome warriors and spellcasters, eldritch hunters are rare among magic-users in their ability to wade into battle alongside rangers, barbarians, and other martial classes. Those who must face eldritch hunters in combat fear them greatly, for their versatility on the battlefield is tremendous; against heavily armed and armored opponents they may level crippling spells, while opposing spellcasters meet their ends on an eldritch hunter's blade.
Class Information
This is a merged prestige class.
Prestige Class: eldritch knight .
Build Classes: ranger, sorcerer.
Role: Eldritch hunters are masters of the wild, alpha predators using both might and magic to establish their dominance.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d8.
Class Abilities
Class Skills
The eldritch hunter's class skills are Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Fly (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Ranks Per Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
An eldritch hunter is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with light armor, medium armor, and shields (except tower shields). Armor interferes with an eldritch hunter's movements, which can cause his spells with somatic components to fail.
Spells
An eldritch hunter casts arcane spells drawn primarily from the sorcerer/wizard spell list. She can cast any spell she knows without preparing it ahead of time. To learn or cast a spell, an eldritch hunter must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against an eldritch hunter's spell is 10 + the spell level + the eldritch hunter's Charisma modifier.
Like other spellcasters, an eldritch hunter can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Eldritch hunter. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Charisma score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells).
An eldritch hunter's selection of spells is extremely limited. An eldritch hunter begins play knowing two 0-level spells and one 1st-level spells of her choice. At each new eldritch hunter level, she gains one or more new spells, as indicated on Table: Eldritch Hunter. (Unlike spells per day, the number of spells an eldritch hunter knows is not affected by her Charisma score; the numbers on Table: Eldritch Hunter under spells known are fixed.) These new spells can be common spells chosen from the eldritch hunter/wizard spell list, or they can be unusual spells that the eldritch hunter has gained some understanding of through study.
Upon reaching 6th level, and at every even-numbered eldritch hunter level after that (8th, 10th and so on), an eldritch hunter can choose to learn a new spell in place of one she already knows. In effect, the eldritch hunter loses the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell's level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged. An eldritch hunter may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that she gains new spells known for the level. Unlike a wizard or a cleric an eldritch hunter need not prepare her spells in advance. She can cast any spell she knows at any time, assuming she has not yet used up her spells per day for that spell level.
Cantrips
Eldritch hunters learn a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells, as noted on Table: Eldritch Hunter under “Spells Known.” These spells are cast like any other spell, but they do not consume any slots and may be used again.
Eldritch Bloodline
| Level of Spell | Level for Sorcerers |
Level for Eldritch hunters |
| 1 | 3 | 3 |
| 2 | 5 | 7 |
| 3 | 7 | 9 |
| 4 | 9 | 11 |
| 5 | 11 | 13 |
| 6 | 13 | 15 |
| 7 | 15 | 17 |
| 8 | 17 | 19 |
| 9 | 19 | 20 |
A eldritch hunter has a bloodline similar to that of an eldritch hunter. Each eldritch hunter has a source of magic somewhere in his heritage that grants him spells, an additional class skill, and other special abilities. This source can represent a blood relation or an extreme event somewhere in the family's past. For example, a eldritch hunter might have a dragon as a distant relative or his grandfather might have signed a terrible contract with a devil. Regardless of the source, this influence manifests in a number of ways as the eldritch hunter gains levels. A eldritch hunter must pick one bloodline upon taking his first level of eldritch hunter. Once made, this choice cannot be changed.
A eldritch hunter gains class skills, arcana, and powers from his bloodline as an eldritch hunter of his eldritch hunter level. If a skill granted by the bloodline is already a class skill, there is no benefit.
At 5th level, and every two levels thereafter until level 19, and finally at level 20, an eldritch hunter learns an additional spell, derived from his bloodline. These spells are added to the eldritch hunter's spell list at their sorcerer spell level and also added to his list of known spells and are in addition to the number of spells given on Table: Eldritch Hunter. These spells cannot be exchanged for different spells at higher levels. Note that the rate of progression is different from that given in the bloodline description (which applies to sorcerers). Spells are gained at the rate give in Table: Eldritch Hunter Bloodline Spells.
Unlike an eldritch hunter, an eldritch hunter does not gain bloodline feats.
Eschew Materials
An eldritch hunter gains Eschew Materials as a bonus feat at 1st level.
Combat Style Feat (Ex)
At 2nd level, an eldritch hunter must select one combat style to pursue. This works exactly like the ranger's combat style, counting eldritch hunter levels as ranger levels.
Spell Critical (Su)
At 10th level, whenever an eldritch hunter successfully confirms a critical hit, he can cast a spell as a swift action. The spell must include the target of the attack as one of its targets or in its area of effect. Casting this spell does not provoke an attack of opportunity. The caster must still meet all of the spell's components and must roll for arcane spell failure if necessary.
Table: Eldritch Hunter
| Class Level |
Base Attack Bonus |
Fort Save |
Ref Save |
Will Save |
Special | Spells per Day | Spells Known | |||||||||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | ||||||
| 1st | +0 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Bloodline power, cantrips, Eschew Materials | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | ||||||||
| 2nd | +1 | +3 | +0 | +3 | Combat style feat | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | ||||||||
| 3rd | +2 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Bloodline power | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 5th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Bloodline spell | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 6th | +4 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Combat style feat | 6 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7th | +5 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Bloodline spell | 6 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 8th | +6/+1 | +6 | +2 | +6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 9th | +6/+1 | +6 | +3 | +6 | Bloodline power, bloodline spell | 6 | 6 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 10th | +7/+2 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Combat style feat, spell critical | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 11th | +8/+3 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Bloodline spell | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 12th | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +8 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 9 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | |
| 13th | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +8 | Bloodline spell | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | — | — | — | — | 9 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 14th | +10/+5 | +9 | +4 | +9 | Combat style feat | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | 9 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 15th | +11/+6/+1 | +9 | +5 | +9 | Bloodline power, bloodline spell | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | — | — | — | 9 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 16th | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +10 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | — | — | 9 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | |
| 17th | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +10 | Bloodline spell | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | — | — | 9 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 18th | +13/+8/+3 | +11 | +6 | +11 | Combat style feat | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | — | 9 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 19th | +14/+9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +11 | Bloodline spell | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | — | 9 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 20th | +15/+10/+5 | +12 | +6 | +12 | Bloodline power, bloodline spell | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Notes
The eldritch hunter is different from the magus in that magic and swordplay are still two different things, two different approaches instead of a unified whole as it is for the magus.
External Links
Spellcasting Guides
- Animate Dead
- Overcoming Arcane Spell Failure
- Polymorph Guide - Wild Shape Guide useful to all polymorphers.
- Polyharmony Guide - Futher polymoph guidance.
- Shadow Conjuration - Shadow Evocation
- Summoning guide
- Summon Monster
- Touch Spells, Spellstrike, and Spell Combat