The Bonded Hunter
Today we turn our focus to the hunter, one of the new classes from the Advanced Class Guide. Some of you may feel that the hunter should probably be better at, well, hunting, but that’s not really what they’re about. Hunters are all about the animal companion; I’m not too sure why they chose the name, but actually the class is pretty cool the way it is, and the Advanced Class Guide already has other classes which are more about hunting (that’s the stalker if you’re hunting quarry, and the investigator if you’re hunting for clues), so let’s stick with the animal companion thing. Today’s archetype, the bonded hunter, focuses less on using her animal companion to do the fighting for her, and more on channeling her close relatio0nship with her animal companion to gain potent bonuses to help them both out in a fight.
New Hunter Archetype
The Bonded Hunter
Bonded hunters are men and women who live in such close communion with their animal companion that they form a special bond with the creature. This bond inspires and empowers the bonded hunter, allowing her to gain several potent animalistic abilities when her companion is near.
Bonded (Su): A bonded hunter forms a close bond with her animal companion. At 3rd level, this bond begins to manifest, allowing the bonded hunter and her animal companion to benefit from one another’s presence. As a standard action, while the bonded hunter is within 30 feet of her animal companion, she can grant the benefit of any single feat she knows to the animal companion, and can gain the benefit of any single feat the animal companion possesses. These effects last for 1 minute, or until the bonded hunter is more than 30 feet from her animal companion. This ability can be used at will, but the bonded hunter must wait at least 10 minutes between uses.
This ability replaces the hunter’s tactics class feature.
Bond of Senses (Su): At 3rd level, a bonded hunter’s bond with her animal companion sharpens all her senses. As long as the bonded hunter is within 30 feet of her animal companion, she gains low-light vision, or, if she already has low-light vision, she is able to see 4 times further than normal in conditions of dim light. The bonded hunter also gains the scent special quality. Additionally, the bonded hunter’s animal companion gains any special senses the bonded hunter possesses, including those granted by magic. These senses can include blindsight, darkvision, see invisibility, true seeing, x-ray vision, and so on.
This ability replaces the teamwork feat gained at 3rd level.
Bond of Protection (Su): At 6th level, a bonded hunter’s bond protects both her and her animal companion. As long as the bonded hunter is within 30 feet of her animal companion, she gains a +1 bonus to her natural armor. Additionally, if the bonded hunter’s animal companion would be reduced to 0 or fewer hit points, as an immediate action she may choose to have it reduced to 1 hit point instead. If she does, her animal companion also gains a dodge bonus to its AC equal to ½ her level. She can use this ability once per day.
This ability replaces the teamwork feat gained at 6th level.
Bond of Power (Su): At 9th level, a bonded hunter’s bond with her animal companion makes her attacks and spells more effective. As long as the hunter remains within 30 feet of her animal companion, both she and her animal companion gain a +1 bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls. Further, as long as she is within 30 feet of her animal companion, she treats her caster level as 2 higher for the purposes of spells she casts. This bonus only applies to spells gained from the hunter class, not spells from other sources.
This ability replaces the teamwork feat gained at 9th level.
Bond of Prowess (Su): At 12th level, a bonded hunter’s bond with her animal companion allows her to utilize some of its skillfulness. As long as the bonded hunter is within 30 feet of her animal companion, she gains a +3 competence bonus to all skill checks made for skills in which her animal companion has ranks. Additionally, the animal companion can use any skill the bonded hunter has ranks in, and can make skill checks for that skill with either its own bonus or the bonded hunter’s bonus.
This ability replaces the teamwork feat gained at 12th level.
Bond of Friendship (Su): At 15th level, the intense bond between a bonded hunter and her animal companion allows them to keep each other safe. As long as the bonded hunter remains within 30 feet of her animal companion, she gains a +1 luck bonus on all saving throws. Additionally, once per day, when her animal companion makes a saving throw within 30 feet of her, the bonded hunter may make a saving throw of the same type, and allow the animal companion to use the higher of that roll or the animal companion’s own saving throw. She may use this ability after the animal companion has rolled, but before learning whether the animal companion’s saving throw was a success or failure.
This ability replaces the teamwork feat gained at 15th level.
Bond of Freedom (Su): At 18th level, the bond between a bonded hunter and her animal companion allows them to remain free of other influences. As long as the bonded hunter remains within 30 feet of her animal companion, both she and the animal companion are treated as though they are affected by a freedom of movement spell.
This ability replaces the teamwork feat gained at 18th level.