Hunter of the Shadow

The hunters of the shadow are scholarly adventurers who research dangerous creatures (whether they be hags or other night horrors), seeking their weaknesses, to eliminate them more easily. The with-hunter typically prefers to defeat her foes through superior tactics and guild rather than through brute force. In their studies, witch-hunters often learn to cast a few protective spells, which sometimes earn them a reputation as Ňhedge mages.Ó Witch-hunters are usually of good alignment, but some become too zealous in their pursuit of children of the night. Evil witch-hunters usually still believe themselves to be good but look the other way if their hunts accidentally bring unfortunate innocents to harm.

Hit Dice: d6

Requirements

To qualify to become a hunter ofthe shadow, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria:

Alignment: Any good.
Feats: Courage, Expertise
Skills: Gather Information 4 ranks, Knowledge (monster lore) 3 ranks in the applicable skill for the first studied foe.
Spellcasting: Ability to case locate object.
Special: You must have survived a hostile encounter with your first studied foe or be a member of the Order of the Shadow and have 6 ranks in Knowledge(monster lore) in the applicable skill for the first studied foe.

Class Skills

The Knight of the Shadow's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: The hunter of the shadow class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Alchemy (Int), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Innuendo (Wis), Knowledge (acrana) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently(Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis).

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the hunter of the shadow prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A hunter of the shadow is proficient with all simple weapons, light armor and medium armor. Note that armor check penalties for armor heavier than leather apply to the skills Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Pick Pocket, and Tumble.

Studied Foe: At 1st level, a witch-hunter may select a specific type of creature (vampire, ghosts, werewolves, hags, goblinoids, etc.) as a studied foe. See Table 3-14 in the PlayerŐs Handbook for examples. A witch-hunter can select her own race as a studied foe only if the witch-hunter or her race is evil. A few hunter of the shadow are said to be reformed monsters, seeking to wipe out the menace posed by their own kind.

The hunter of the shadow has scrutinized the habits and weaknesses of her studied foe so closely that she gains a +2 bonus to Sense Motive checks when used against that type of creature. Likewise, in combat, she against a +1 insight bonus to attack rolls and saving throws against her chosen foe.

At 4th, 7th, and 10th level, the witch-hunter may select a new studied foe. To select a creature as a studied foe, the hunter of the shadow must have at least 3 ranks in the applicable Knowledge (monster lore) skill. For example, a witch-hunter who wishes to add golems as a studied foe must first have at least 3 ranks in Knowledge (construct lore). A witch-hunter can select the same creature more than once as her studied foe, representing further study; the effects stack. A witch-hunter who selects weretigers as a studied foe twice, for example, gainst a +4 insight bonus to all Sense Motive checks and a +2 insight bonus to all attack rolls and saves made against weretigers.

Turn of Rebuke Undead: Witch-hunters often possess remarkable reservoirs of faith. When a hunter of the shadow reaches 3rd level, she gainst a supernatural ability to turn undead, if good, or rebuke undead, if evil. Morally neutral witch-hunters can choose to do one or the other. Once the player makes this decision, it cannot be reversed. The witch-hunter turns or rebukes undead, as would a cleric of two levels lower.

Spells: Beginning at 1st level, a witch-hunter gains the ability to cast a small number or arcane spells. To cast a spell, the witch-hunter must have an Intelligence score of at least 10 + the spellŐs level, so a witch-hunter with an Intelligence of 10 or lower cannot cast these spells. Witch-hunter bonus spells are based on Intelligence, and saving throws against these spells have a DC of 10 + spell level + the witch-hunterŐs Intelligence modifier. When the hunter of the shadow may have 0 spells of a given level, the hunter of the shadow can employ only bonus spells. A hunter of the shadow without a bonus spell for that level cannot yet case a spell of that level. The hunterŐs spell list appears below. A hunter prepares and cast spells just as a wizard does.

Spell List

Knights of the Shadows can choose from the following list:

1st: alarm, detect magic, detect undead, disrupt undead, protection from (chaos, evil, good, law), read magic
2nd: darkvision, daylight, knock, magi weapon, see invisibility, invisibility
3rd: diminish undead, dispel magic, halt undead, magic circle against (chaos, evil, good, law)
4th: break enchantment, detect scrying, remove curse, suppress lycanthropy.

Hunter of the Shadow Advancement