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rkr1970 09-04-07, 05:57 PM

FOE STALKER Foe stalker is actually a catchall name for a broad group of specialized hunters. The proper terminology depends entirely on what type of creature the individual hunts (normally referred to as a stalked foe). But whether someone is a dragon stalker, a goblin stalker, or even an ooze stalker, they all have one thing in common – an almost supernatural insight into their stalked foes. They have studied their enemies in such depth that they are able to take advantage of vulnerabilities that few others are aware of and can even shrug off their opponents attacks. Few are the creatures that have been hunted by a foe stalker dedicated to their eradication and survived the encounter. While the vast majority of foe stalkers have spent a portion of their careers as rangers, most have also rounded out their skills by learning the ways of rogues, scouts, or even ninjas. It is very rare that those without some time as a ranger pursue this path, though it has been known to happen. NPC foe stalkers are typically loners though occasionally found this others whose preferred enemies match that of the foe stalker. Those foe stalkers that have animal companions almost invariably teach them tricks that assist in bringing down their stalked foes. They are generally obsessed with the elimination of their stalked foes, and are difficult to control once they have “caught the scent”. Adaptation: The easiest way to adapt foe stalkers to your world is to have individual types of foe stalkers belong to a specific region plagued by a group of creatures, a particular race who is at war with another, or a certain religious group known to oppose an entire group of beings. For example, aberration stalkers might be common in the Great Western Mountains, orc stalkers might be an everyday profession among elves, and undead stalkers may form an entire arm of the church of Pelor. Hit Die: d8 Requirements Base Attack Bonus: +5 Skills: Survival 4 ranks, Sense Motive 4 ranks, appropriate Knowledge skill 4 ranks (see class skills) Feats: Track Special: +2d6 sneak attack or skirmish class feature Special: A foe stalker must have the favored enemy class feature. Note: This prestige class may be taken multiple times, though each time, the character must choose a different favored enemy as his stalked foe. Class Skills The foe stalker’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis) Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Use Rope (Dex). Foe stalkers also have as a class skill the Knowledge skill appropriate to the type of creature they have chosen to stalk. The appropriate Knowledge skills are as follows: Arcana - constructs, dragons, or magical beasts; Dungeoneering - aberrations or oozes; Local - humanoids; Nature - animals, fey, giants, monstrous humanoids, plants, or vermin; Religion - undead; and The Planes - elementals or outsiders. Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier. Class Features Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Foe stalkers gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor. Spells per Day/Spells Known: At each odd-numbered level, a foe stalker gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if he had also gained a level in a spellcasting class to which he belonged before adding the prestige class levels. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (improved chance of turning or destroying undead, a bonus feat, and so on). If he had more than one spellcasting class before becoming a foe hunter, he must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day and spells known. Stalked Foe Bonus (Ex): At 1st level and again at 5th level, the foe stalker gains more insight into his stalked foes. He gains an additional +1 on his favored enemy bonus against his stalked foe at each of these levels. This bonus always stacks with other such bonuses. Know Thy Enemy (Ex): The foe stalker chooses a single creature type from among his favored enemies. This creature type becomes his stalked foe. (See table 3-14, page 47 in the Player's Handbook for favored enemy creature types) The foe stalker may add his favored enemy bonus to any skill checks opposed by a stalked foe. He may also add his favored enemy bonus to any attempt to recognize the handiwork of his stalked foe (this could be recognizing that his stalked foe built a certain structure, killed a particular creature, or crafted a specific item). These are considered competence bonuses. Sneak Attack (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, a foe stalker deals an extra 1d6 points of damage when flanking an opponent or any time the target would be denied its Dexterity bonus. This extra damage applies to ranged attacks only if the target is within 30 feet. It increases to 2d6 points at 4th level. See the rogue class feature, page 50 of the Player's Handbook. A foe stalker’s sneak attack or skirmish bonuses from other sources stack. Resist Stalked Foe Abilities (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, a foe stalker may apply his favored enemy bonus to saving throws made to resist any special abilities used by his stalked foe, provided those abilities are an inherent property of all such creatures. Any abilities gained from class levels or certain abilities granted by applying a template to a creature do not offer this resistance, since these abilities are not common to such creatures. For example, an aberration stalker could apply this bonus to saves against an aboleth’s psionics, an ettercap’s poison, or a beholder’s eyestalks, but if such a creature also had levels of wizard, it would not apply to any spells cast as such, nor would it apply to any extra abilities gained by the creature in question if it had the ghost template applied to it (although an undead stalker could resist the abilities of a ghostly template while struggling with any abilities the aberrant had in life). This resistance is considered a competence bonus. Wounding Strikes (Ex): At 3rd level, a foe stalker learns how to do more than just deal extra damage with his sneak attacks. He learns how to incapacitate, cripple, or even outright slay his stalked foes with his sneak attacks. When a foe stalker is first allowed a sneak attack against a particular stalked foe, he may make the appropriate Knowledge check for the foe’s type (see class skills, above) as a free action. Which special attacks he is allowed to choose from is determined by the level of success he has on this Knowledge check. He may attempt to study the same foe again, as a standard action, to gain further insights into its weaknesses. Once the Knowledge check’s level of success has been determined, he may choose any one of the following special attacks to add to his sneak attack (Note: Creatures who take no damage from the sneak attack, as by damage reduction or immunity to critical hits, are not effected by these attacks unless noted otherwise): Wound the Heartless: If he succeeds at a DC 10 + foe’s HD Knowledge check, a foe stalker may deal sneak attack damage to a stalked foe not normally susceptible to such damage due to their physiology (such as constructs and undead). This special sneak attack is weaker than a normal sneak attack, however, and deals only half as many dice of additional damage (round down) as the foe stalker’s normal sneak attack would. Unless the foe stalker has a weapon capable of harming ethereal beings with no chance of passing through them (such as a force effect or a ghost touch weapon), this attack is not effective against ethereal or incorporeal creatures. Stunning Wound: A foe stalker can attempt to stun a stalked foe using a sneak attack by making a DC 15 + foe’s HD Knowledge check. A stunning wound forces it’s victim to make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + favored enemy bonus) or be stunned for one round. A stunned creature can’t act, loses any Dex bonus to AC, and takes a –2 penalty to AC. A stunning wound deals one less die of sneak attack damage than normal. Weakening Wound/Crippling Wound: By succeeding at a DC 20 + foe’s HD Knowledge check, a foe stalker can sneak attack opponents with such precision that his blows weaken or cripple them. When the foe stalker damages a stalked foe with this ability, that foe suffers temporary Strength or Dexterity damage. The foe stalker must decide before the attack is made whether to weaken or cripple his opponent. The foe stalker deals 1 point of ability to damage for each die of sneak attack damage that he sacrifices in the attack. Ability points lost return on their own at the rate of 1 point per day for each damaged ability. Penetrating Wound: By succeeding at a DC 25 + foe’s HD Knowledge check, a foe stalker can sneak attack opponents with such precision that his blows slips past damage reduction. When the foe stalker damages a stalked foe with this ability, he sacrifices one die of sneak attack damage for every 5 points of damage reduction his weapon wouldn't normally overcome. Slaying Wound: The ultimate attack a foe stalker possesses, this attack can kill or destroy his stalked foe with a single blow. Because of the precision required to make such a devastating attack, a foe stalker may only make such an attack as a full-round action. With a DC 30 + foe’s HD Knowledge check, the foe stalker learns the single weakest point of his opponent and attempts an attack so exact that it may slay the foe outright. A stalked foe that is successfully stricken with a slaying wound must make a Fortitude save (DC 15 + favored enemy bonus; this attack affects creatures not normally required to make Fortitude saves) or else be killed (or destroyed if non-living). If an opponent saves, it still takes full sneak attack damage (even if normally immune to such attacks, although damage reduction, incorporeality, and other defenses still apply as normal). Penetrating Spells (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, a foe stalker may add his favored enemy bonus to the DCs of his spells when cast against stalked foes and when determining if he can overcome a stalked foe’s spell resistance. Stalked Foe Damage Reduction (Ex): At 4th level, the foe stalker becomes so familiar with his stalked foes that he is able to anticipate enemy attacks and roll with their punches. He gains damage reduction equal to his favored enemy bonus on any attacks made by a stalked foe using a natural weapon. This damage reduction does not stack with damage reduction from other sources. Example: A magical beast stalker with a +5 favored enemy bonus fighting a hippogryph gains DR 5/- against the creature's natural attacks. Lvl BAB Fort Ref Will Special Spells per Day/Spells Known 1st +1 +0 +2 +0 Know Thy Enemy, +1 level existing class Stalked Foe Bonus +1 2nd +2 +0 +3 +0 +1d6 Sneak Attack, Resist Stalked Foe Abilities 3rd +3 +1 +3 +1 Wounding Strikes, +1 level existing class Penetrating Spells 4th +4 +1 +4 +1 +2d6 Sneak Attack, Stalked Foe Damage Reduction 5th +5 +1 +4 +1 Stalked Foe Bonus +2 +1 level existing class