Harper Hunter for Scotty

[Theylan]

everyone please take a look at our new PRC specifically designed around Scotty's character. It's an attempt to create a Harper agent that makes sense as something other than an NPC. With some input from Troy and Jaren this is what we've come up with. Scott let us know if you likey, as it is approved PRC for our campaign. I'll have to split the table here so it makes sense first column is level.

Harper Hunter
The semisecret organization known as the Harpers has members scattered all across Faerun. These individuals are dedicated to battling evil, discovering and preserving forgotten lore, and maintaining the balance between nature and civilization. Harper Hunters are the enforcers of the Harper organization, acting on behalf of the organization to eliminate threats to the greater good. When a threat has been identified and the need is great Harper Hunters are called on to lead small groups of strike teams or go on alone to destroy the evil. Equally adept at operating alone or in small groups, Harper Hunters display a versatility that few others can match. Hunters are often called on to go where the enemy doesn’t want them to go so they are well equipped in skill and ability to infiltrate enemy strongholds.
Ranger/Bards are the most common candidates for the Harper Hunter prestige class, because they can leverage all the special abilities of the Hunters, but they are by no means the only qualified characters. Rogues, sorcerers, and wizards all possess the diversity of skill and ability necessary to become Harper Hunters.

Hit Die: d6.


Harper Hunter
Cl L BAB Fort Ref Will

1 +1 +2 +2 +2
2 +2 +3 +3 +3
3 +3 +3 +3 +3
4 +4 +4 +4 +4
5 +5 +4 +4 +4
6 +6 +5 +5 +5
7 +7 +5 +5 +5
8 +8 +6 +6 +6
9 +9 +6 +6 +6
10 +10 +7 +7 +7

Special/ feats
1 Harper Knowledge, Harper Song, Trapfinding, Harper’s fury, Expanded Spell Knowledge
2 Endurance, Improved Combat Style, Bonus Spell
3 Song of Celerity 1/day
4 Open Minded, Bonus Spell
5 Lurue's Voice
6 Woodland Stride, Bonus Spell
7 Song of Celerity 2/day, Combat Style Mastery
8 Swift Tracker, Bonus Spell
9 Evasion
10 Camouflage, Bonus Spell

Spells per day
1 +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
2
3 +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
4
5 +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
6
7 +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
8
9 +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
10

Requirements:
Alignment: any non-evil
Skills: Search 4 Ranks, Spot 4 Ranks, Survival 4 ranks.
Feat: Track, and Two Weapon Fighting or Rapid Shot
Spells: Ability to cast 1st level arcane spells
BAB: +4
Special: The candidate must be sponsored by a member in good standing of the Harpers and win approval from the High Harpers.

Class Skills
The Harper Hunter's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (any) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Perform (any) (Cha), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Language (none), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha) and Use Rope (Dex).
Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier.

Class Features
All the following are class features of the Harper Hunter prestige class.

Armor and Weapon Proficiency: Harper Hunters are proficient with all martial weapons and with light armor and medium armor. Armor check penalties for armor heavier than leather apply to the skills Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Sleight of Hand, and Tumble, and double the normal armor check penalty applies to Swim checks.

Expanded Spell Knowledge: A hunter can draw and learn new spells when appropriate from either the Ranger’s spell list or the Bard’s spell list just so long as it is of a level he can cast. The levels are interchangeable; a 1st level ranger spell now qualifies as a 1st level bard spell and vice versa. When the same spell is of different levels on the two lists the spell qualifies as the lowest level.

Spells per Day/Spells Known: Every other level when a new Harper Hunter level is gained, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if he had also gained a level in a arcane spellcasting class he belonged to before he added the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (bonus metamagic or item creation feats), except for an increased effective level of spellcasting. This essentially means that he adds the level of Harper Hunter to the level of some other spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day, spells known, and caster level accordingly.
If a character had more than one spellcasting class before he becomes a Harper Hunter, he must decide which class he adds each level of Harper Hunter for the purposes of determining spells per day and spells known.

Harper Knowledge and Song (Ex): At 1st level, the Harper Hunter can access knowledge in the same manner as a bard can. This ability functions like the bardic knowledge ability, If the Harper Hunter has another such lore ability from another source (such as bard or loremaster levels), his Harper Hunter levels stack with levels of all other classes that grant such an ability for the purpose of Harper knowledge checks. Furthermore, his Harper Hunter levels stack with his bardic music abilities if he has them.

Trapfinding: Because Hunters are often required to go snooping where they may not be welcome they have acquired the ability to find traps as a rogue.

Harper’s Fury (Ex): at 1st level the Harper Hunters interactions with enemy organizations have created a deep loathing for a particular organization giving him special benefits when dealing with certain Harper enemies. The Harper Hunters abilities now stack with the Ranger’s favored enemy abilities. The character must pick organizations as a favored enemy. Add the characters ranger levels and Hunter levels to determine the total bonuses against favored enemies.

Bonus spell: every other level beginning at 2nd level the Hunter can add a new spell to his repertoire. It must be of a level he can cast. This represents the access and the understanding the hunter has to the lore that the Harper’s have preserved over time.


Improved Combat Style: At 2nd level the hunter gains this feat and can either improve his two weapon fighting or archery. This functions as the Ranger’s ability.

Song of Celerity (Ex): at 3rd level the Harper Hunter gains the ability to use his bardic music ability or cast a spell as a swift action once a day. This improves to twice a day at 7th level

Open Minded: At 4th level, the character gains this feat as a bonus feat.

You are naturally able to reroute your memory, mind, and skill expertise.
Benefit: You immediately gain an extra 5 skill points. You spend these skill points as normal. If you spend them on a cross-class skills they count as 1/2 ranks. You cannot exceed the normal maximum ranks for your level in any skill.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Each time, you immediately gain another 5 skill points.

Lurue's Voice (Sp): At 5th level, the Harper Hunters may use speak with animals (caster level equals Harper Hunter level) three times per day.


Woodland Stride (Ex): Starting at 6th level, a hunter may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at his normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment.
However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that are enchanted or magically manipulated to impede motion still affect him.

Combat Style Mastery (Ex): At 7th level, a hunter’s aptitude in his chosen combat style (archery or two-weapon combat) improves again. If he selected archery, he is treated as having the Improved Precise Shot feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
If the hunter selected two-weapon combat, he is treated as having the Greater Two-Weapon Fighting feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
As before, the benefits of the hunter’s chosen style apply only when he wears light or no armor. He loses all benefits of his combat style when wearing medium or heavy armor.

Swift Tracker (Ex): Beginning at 8th level, a hunter can move at his normal speed while following tracks without taking the normal –5 penalty. He takes only a –10 penalty (instead of the normal –20) when moving at up to twice normal speed while tracking.

Evasion (Ex): At 9th level, a hunter can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the hunter is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless hunter does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Camouflage (Ex): A hunter of 10th level or higher can use the Hide skill in any sort of natural terrain, even if the terrain doesn’t grant cover or concealment.

[Theylan]

just seeing if anyone has comments on this and if Scott is interested.

[Greylen]

It looks interesting. I haven't had a change to play with it and see what kind of specialization/progression it allows, however.

One thing it is missing, in my estimation, is multiple attacks. Seems to me a hunter would need those when he closes in on his 'prey'.

[Theylan]

the multiple attacks is there I just eliminated it from the table because of the distortion. It makes it impossible to read otherwise. so the progress is as a fighter when it comes to attacks.

[Greylen]

So it should look something like this then...
<body>
<table width="200" border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1">
<caption align="top">
Harper Hunter Progression
</caption>
<tr>
<th scope="col">Level</th>
<th scope="col">BAB</th>
<th scope="col">Fort</th>
<th scope="col">Ref</th>
<th scope="col">Will</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">1</th>
<td align="center">+1</td>
<td align="center">+2</td>
<td align="center">+2</td>
<td align="center">+2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">2</th>
<td align="center">+2</td>
<td align="center">+3</td>
<td align="center">+3</td>
<td align="center">+3</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">3</th>
<td align="center">+3</td>
<td align="center">+3</td>
<td align="center">+3</td>
<td align="center">+3</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">4</th>
<td align="center">+4</td>
<td align="center">+4</td>
<td align="center">+4</td>
<td align="center">+4</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">5</th>
<td align="center">+5</td>
<td align="center">+4</td>
<td align="center">+4</td>
<td align="center">+4</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">6</th>
<td align="center">+6/+1</td>
<td align="center">+5</td>
<td align="center">+5</td>
<td align="center">+5</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">7</th>
<td align="center">+7/+2</td>
<td align="center">+5</td>
<td align="center">+5</td>
<td align="center">+5</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">8</th>
<td align="center">+8/+3</td>
<td align="center">+6</td>
<td align="center">+6</td>
<td align="center">+6</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">9</th>
<td align="center">+9/+4</td>
<td align="center">+6</td>
<td align="center">+6</td>
<td align="center">+6</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">10</th>
<td align="center">+10/+5</td>
<td align="center">+7</td>
<td align="center">+7</td>
<td align="center">+7</td>
</tr>
</table></body>

Hmmm, looks like embedding the HTML still has a few bugs to be worked out... later.

[Zanther]

Sorry I have not had time to post up, work and all....

Any way here are my thoughts in a nut shell.
First, overall look is good, better than the standard Harper stuff I have read over the years. It may need some tweaking on some abilities and the order of progression but all in all it looks good.

Second...well I guess I don't remember the second thought I had.

What does the DM say I guess would be an important question at this time.

[TheDM]

I've already seen, provided feedback and approved it before Jared posted it. So it works for me. Tweaking may me need to happen as we playtest it. But I think it looks good.