Dark Hunter (5e Class)
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Dark Hunter[edit]
“ | "Their long whips are useful in weakening their foes. Proper use of a Dark Hunter greatly expands your options in battle." | ” |
—Dark Hunter description, Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold: The Fafnir Knight |
Description[edit]
Description Extracted From Etrian Odyssey Wiki
The Dark Hunter (ダークハンター Dark Hunter in the Japanese version) is a specialized whip and sword-wielding class, with the capabilities to debilitate their enemies with skillful strikes. With their high-speed, their debilitation can push the difference between loss and victory. Whether it's a dangerous F.O.E. or a local monster, the Dark Hunter has an arsenal capable of taking them all down to the party's size. Unlike their brother the Hexer, the Dark Hunter is best suited for the front line, though not as suited for close-quarter combat as their brother the Landsknecht. However, utilizing their baiting and disguising abilities, the Dark Hunter can become virtually untargetable by the enemy.
Masters of deception, the Dark Hunter can punish their enemies to bend to their will before going in for the kill. With their skill with the whip, they can completely immobilize an enemy before taking it's life force for themselves. If a Dark Hunter decides to take up the blade instead, they can deliver powerful blows to the enemy's nerves, destroying them from the inside-out. While their power is more than welcome, it comes two-face, as the Dark Hunter is capable of baiting enemy fury with their own comrades.
Varied methods of debilitation with decent combat prowess, making them formidable despite their flaws. Their naturally high Luck allows them to deliver punishing blows frequently, with excellent precision thanks to their high Agility.
Creating a Dark Hunter[edit]
When creating a Dark Hunter, ask yourself a few questions. Why and how did you choose to follow the path of the dark hunter? Have you been taught the way of the dark hunter through the guidance of a master, or have you been trained by an organization, devoted to train monster hunters in the art of the sword and whip?
The method of a dark hunter involves the study of techniques that cause debilitating pain and suffering, so a dark hunter must find acceptable to deliver pain in order to achieve their goals. Some find the pain a means to an end, while others just take a sadistic pleasure in the art of pain. Choose what is your position in relation to pain.
- Quick Build
You can make a Dark Hunter quickly by following these suggestions. First, Dexterity should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the Haunted One background. Third, choose the shortsword, a shortbow and a quiver with 10 arrows, an explorer's kit, a leather armor, a whip and a dagger as your starting equipment.
Class Features
As a Dark Hunter you gain the following class features.
- Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per Dark Hunter level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier per Dark Hunter level after 1st
- Proficiencies
Armor: Light Armor
Weapons: Simple weapons, melee weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence
Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, Intimidation, Investigation, Sleight of Hand, Stealth and Survival
- Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a shortsword or (b) a rapier or (c) any martial weapon
- (a) a shortbow and a quiver with 10 arrows or (b) a light crossbow and 10 bolts
- (a) an explorer's kit or (b) a dungeoneer's kit
- a leather armor, a whip and a dagger
Level | Proficiency Bonus |
Weapon Mastery | Features | Talent Points |
---|---|---|---|---|
1st | +2 | - | Take, Cloak, Sword and Whip | - |
2nd | +2 | 1d6 | Weapon Mastery, Force Boost | 2 |
3rd | +2 | 1d6 | Racket, Bait | 3 |
4th | +2 | 1d6 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 |
5th | +3 | 1d8 | Extra Attack, Temptation | 5 |
6th | +3 | 1d8 | Weapon Mastery Feature, Unbind | 6 |
7th | +3 | 1d8 | Snake Eyes | 7 |
8th | +3 | 1d8 | Ability Score Improvement | 8 |
9th | +4 | 1d8 | Bind Heart | 9 |
10th | +4 | 1d8 | Shadow Veil | 10 |
11th | +4 | 1d10 | Wrath Might | 11 |
12th | +4 | 1d10 | Ability Score Improvement | 12 |
13th | +5 | 1d10 | Weapon Mastery Feature | 13 |
14th | +5 | 1d10 | Perseverance | 14 |
15th | +5 | 1d10 | Elemental Bait | 15 |
16th | +5 | 1d10 | Ability Score Improvement | 16 |
17th | +6 | 1d12 | Weapon Mastery Feature | 17 |
18th | +6 | 1d12 | Dark Curse | 18 |
19th | +6 | 1d12 | Ability Score Improvement | 19 |
20th | +6 | 1d12 | Weapon Mastery Feature | 20 |
Take[edit]
Starting at 1st level, you gain proficiency with the Sleight of Hand skill, if you don't already have it. In addition, you can use your bonus action to take the Search action or to use your Sleight of Hand skill.
Cloak[edit]
Starting at 1st level, you can take the Hide action as a bonus action on your turn. In addition, when in dim light or darkness you have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
Sword and Whip[edit]
Also at 1st level, you can engage in two-weapon fighting when wielding a one handed sword in one hand, and a whip on another. You add your ability modifier to the damage of the attack made as a bonus action.
Swords are the following weapons: shortsword, longsword, rapier and scimitar.
Weapon Mastery[edit]
Starting at 2nd level, you choose your mastery, that defines your style of fighting. You can choose between the Whip Mastery or the Sword Mastery. Your choice give you features at 2nd level, and again at 6th, 13th and 17th levels.
- Talent Points
You have an amount of Talents points equal to the amount shown on the Dark Hunter table above. Once you spend a Talent Point, you can't use it until you complete a long rest.
Force Boost[edit]
At 2nd level, you gain the ability to improve your battle abilities by performing actions in combat. You gain 1 boost point when a creature miss you with an attack, when you hit a creature with an attack, when a creature fail a saving throw against a Dark Hunter feature or when you succeed on a saving throw.
Your boost maximum equals your proficiency bonus. When you are at your maximum boost, you can enter your Boost State, as a bonus action, granting you benefits depending on the chosen boost. Your boost lasts for a number of turns equal to your proficiency bonus. When you are in your Boost State, you can't gain boost points, and your boost points are reduced to 0. Any unspent boost point is lost after 1 minute.
- Trance
Creatures under the effect of your binds or conditions imposed by Dark Hunter features take additional damage equal to your mastery die when you hit them with melee weapon attacks.
- Rose Prison
Creatures hit by your melee weapon attacks have disadvantage on saving throws against your Dark Hunter features.
Racket[edit]
Starting at 3rd level, while hidden, you can use your action to provoke a loud sound to attract your enemies. All hostile creatures in a 30-foot radius must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier) or use their reaction to move up to their movement speed towards your position.
Any creature that succeeds the save against this effect is immune to it for the next 24 hours.
Bait[edit]
At 3rd level, whenever a friendly creature within 5 feet of you is hit by an attacker within reach, you can use your reaction to make an attack against that creature.
Ability Score Improvement[edit]
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Extra Attack[edit]
Starting at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Temptation[edit]
Also at 5th level, when you score a critical hit against a creature with a melee weapon attack, that creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier), or is paralyzed until the end of this turn.
While paralyzed, attacks against that creature cause twice the damage.
Unbind[edit]
Starting at 6th level, when an friendly creature within 5 feet is under the effect of the charmed, frightened, paralyzed or stunned condition, you can spend 1 talent point as an action to end that effect on the creature.
You can use this feature on yourself at the start of your turn, without taking an action. If you do so, you can't take an action on that turn.
Snake Eyes[edit]
At 7th level, once per turn when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can grant Advantage on the next weapon attack roll made against that creature until the start of the creature's turn.
In addition, if the creature is under the effect of a bind, bite or condition caused by your Dark Hunter features, when you miss a melee attack against it, you can use your bonus action to reroll that attack with advantage.
Bind Heart[edit]
Starting at 9th level, when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, that creature's movement speed is reduced by 10 feet until the end of that creature's next turn. You can't use this feature more than once on the same creature in each turn.
Shadow Veil[edit]
When you reach the 10th level, you can spend 1 Talent Point as a bonus action to impose disadvantage on attack rolls made against you until the end of your next turn. For the duration, you also have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
When you are in dim light or darkness, this feature lasts for 1 minute or until you leave the area of dim light or darkness, or until you take damage.
Creatures who do not rely on sight aren't affected by this feature.
Wrath Might[edit]
Starting at 11th level, when you are below half your maximum hit points, all your melee weapon attacks cause additional damage equal to your Weapon Mastery die.
Perseverance[edit]
At 14th level, targets have disadvantage on saving throws against your Dark Hunter features if they have succeeded on a saving throw against them on your previous turn.
Elemental Bait[edit]
When you reach the 15th level, whenever a hostile creature within your reach makes a spell attack, cast a spell or use its action to create an effect that causes acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder or poison damage, you can use your reaction to make an attack against that creature.
Dark Curse[edit]
Starting at 18th level, you can use your action to curse your enemies. All hostile creatures in a 10-foot radius must succeed on a Charisma saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier) or be cursed until the end of your next turn.
For the duration, whenever the cursed creature causes damage with a weapon attack, it takes necrotic damage equal to the damage caused.
Whip Mastery[edit]
You are a devoted master of the whip, using it to keep your opponents at bay while you deliver punishment through lashing. The whip is more than a weapon for the Dark Hunter who follow this mastery, but an instrument of pleasure and pain, an almost living entity that must be tamed by its master, and used to bring others to submission.
Whip masters are specialized in binding techniques, being able to restrain and immobilize their opponents with mastery using the length of their whips.
- Whip Mastery
Starting at 2nd level, you cause 1d6 damage with attacks made with a whip, instead of the normal damage. This amount increases as you gain levels in this class, as shown on the Weapon Mastery column on the Dark Hunter table.
In addition, when you hit a creature Large sized or lower with the whip, you can grapple that creature, instead of causing damage. To release himself from the grapple, the target must succeed on a Strength (Athletics) check against a DC equal 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier, instead of making a contested check. You can release the grapple on your turn, without using an action. While grappling the creature with the whip, you can't make attacks with it.
- Bind
Starting at 2nd level, you can use your whip to ensnare your targets. Binding an opponent is a Talent, and thus require you to spend an amount of Talent Points.
When you hit a creature with a whip, you can attempt to bind that creature. You can spend up to 3 talent points to impose one or more binds. You can't make attacks with your whip while binding a creature with it.
Your bind effects require a Constitution saving throw to take effect. The save DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier.
When you bind a creature using your whip, you can't make attacks using that whip while the effect of the bind is still active. You know the following binds:
- Gag. When you grapple or cause damage to your target with a whip, you can spend 1 talent point to gag that creature. A creature with this bind is unable to speak or use verbal components of spells, and have Disadvantage on attack rolls until the end of your next turn.
- Shackles. When you cause damage to your target with a whip, you can spend 1 talent point to shackle that creature. A creature with this bind have disadvantage on Dexterity checks and saving throws, and melee attacks made against this creature are made at advantage until the end of your next turn.
- Cuffs. When you cause damage to your target with a whip, you can spend 1 talent point to cuff that creature. A creature with this bind is unable to make attacks with weapons until the end of your next turn.
- Viper
Starting at 6th level, once in each of your turns when a creature is hit by an attack with your whip, you can force that creature to make a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier) or be poisoned until the end of your next turn.
In addition, whenever you hit a creature with your Whip, you can choose to cause poison damage, instead of slashing damage.
At 11th level, this feature ignores resistance and immunity to the poisoned condition and poison damage.
- Ecstasy
Starting at 13th level, once in each turn when a creature bound by you take damage from a melee weapon attack, it takes additional damage equal to your Weapon Mastery die for each bind currently affecting it.
- Crimson Rouge
When you reach the 17th level, whenever you attempt to use a bind on a creature, all hostile creatures within 5 feet of your target also need to attempt the saving throw or also be affected by the bind.
- Climax
At 20th level, whenever you hit a creature with an attack from your whip, you regain a number of hit points equal to the damage dealt. You must be under half your maximum of hit points to benefit from this feature.
In addition, whenever you damage a creature with your whip when this creature is under half its maximum of hit points, the target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against a DC equal to the Viper feature. On a failure, the target is reduced to 0 hit points. When you use this feature against a creature, that creature is immune to it for the next 24 hours.
Sword Mastery[edit]
Devoted to a more aggressive approach to combat, Sword Masters are dark hunters who prefer to destroy their opponents, rather than bringing them to their knees. Using agile movement with light blades, they can make precise cuts with surgical precision, delivering wounds to specific muscles and tendons, to trigger specific injuries.
Sword masters make use of bites - accurate strokes with their blades, meant to disable their opponents. This is used to debilitate their foes in order to reduce the threat they imposed, before delivering the final blow, although some specially cruel Dark Hunters just enjoy the slow death of their targets, causing them to die a literal death by thousand cuts.
- Sword Mastery
Starting at 2nd level, once per turn when you hit a creature with an attack using a shortsword, longsword, scimitar or rapier, you cause additional damage equal to one roll of your Weapon Mastery die.
You can't use this feature while wielding something that is not a sword on your hands (such as a shield or an object).
In addition, once per turn when you hit a creature with an attack from a sword, you can choose to cause 1 point of slashing damage instead of the normal damage and force the creature to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target is stunned until the start of your next turn.
- Bite
At 2nd level, you can make deep cuts with your swords called bites. Your bites are Talents, requiring the use of Talent Points to be used.
When a bite requires a saving throw, the Save DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your choice between Strength or Dexterity.
You know the following bites:
- Hypno. When you hit a creature with an attack from a sword, you can spend 1 talent point to cause it to sleep. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw, or is incapacitated for 1 minute, or until it takes damage.
- Nerve. When you hit a creature with an attack from a sword, you can spend 1 talent point to cause it to be paralyzed. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw, or is paralyzed until the end of your next turn.
- Mirage. When you hit a creature with an attack from a sword, you can spend 1 talent point to cause it to be frightened. The target must succeed on a Charisma saving throw, or is frightened until the end of your next turn.
- Drain Bite
Starting at 6th level, once per turn when you hit a creature with an attack from a sword, you regain a number of hit points equal to the damage dealt
You must be with less than half your maximum hit points to benefit from this feature. If you are with more than your maximum, you gain temporary hit points instead.
- Soul Liberator
When you reach the 13th level, when you hit a creature that is under the effects of any of your Bite conditions, you cause additional 3d6 necrotic damage.
- Scorpion
At 17th level, whenever you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack using a sword, all hostile creatures within 5 feet of your target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw (DC equal bind DC) or take half the damage dealt to your target.
In addition, if the creature is under the effect of a bind, that creature is petrified for the same duration.
- Catastrophe
At 20th level, when you hit a creature with an attack, that creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your Bite DC or be petrified. If a creature has resisted this effect on the last turn, your attack against the creature on this turn have advantage.
The creature remains petrified until the end of your next turn.
Multiclassing[edit]
Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Dark Hunter class, you must meet these prerequisites: Dexterity 13.
Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Dark Hunter class, you gain the following proficiencies: Light armor, simple weapons, martial weapons.
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