Hunter

Hunter

"Even back home, I never gave up the bow and arrow. My friends tried to call me off it a couple times, but I more or less ignored them. I get that guns are efficient -- I ain't stupid. I also think guns don't have grace, subtlety... all that poetic shit that the hungover Romantics scribbled into perfumey diaries.

"My daddy gave me his recurve bow when I was 14. Lasted until I was 22. One of my idiot buddies tried to restring it-- some drunken stunt on the Fourth of July, I guess. The thing with an older recurve bow is that, if it's ain't yours, you probably don't know how to fuckin' string it. Moron did it backwards, and the entire thing snapped. Waste of a real beautiful bow. Clean end to a mediocre friendship.

"Long story short? Keep your Grecian Urns. I'm all about the Ode on a Recurve Bow. That mentality has served me pretty good here, to be honest. I like a weapon that don't need tech. More than that, I like a challenge.

"Back home? I was gettin' bored. Itchy in my skin. My daddy taught me to shoot what I eat, and eat what I shoot. Don't leave a lot of room for creativity, tell you what. What am I gonna shoot in West Virginia? Polecats? Boomers? I got tired of that shit fast. The one time I ran across a bear, she was too little to kill, and, on top of that, hotter than blazes that I was within forty-feet of her cub.

"Crossin' over was good for me. Here? They've got everythin' and then some. Deer the size of elephants. Snakes thicker than my torso. And the bears... goddamit, careful before you mess with the bears.

"They've even got haints here. Fuckin' haints.

"One catch, though. The thing that makes me a hunter-- more than a shooter-- is that I don't just run into things. Naw, it's a combination of skills and what they call environmental intelligence. Sounds stupid, but I follow the fairies. Hasn't lead me wrong yet. Frankly, just has me thinking that there's always something I ain't seen. Heard melodies are sweet, but, as they say, those unheard are sweeter."

Virgil Matheson, Hunter

Hunter Skills

Hunter’s Tools 0 CP

You gain Weapon as an attack trait for Melee and Missile attacks, Poison and Thorns as attack traits, and Craft as a flavor trait.

Monster Lore 3 CP

Three times per battle, when the target of one of your attacks responds with a “No effect” or “Spirit” defense, your attack and any associated endurance costs are not expended.

Give Ground 2 CP (Twice per event)

Twice per event, “Disengage” while wielding a melee weapon.

End Their Suffering 1 CP

You prefer that your prey not suffer needlessly once you take them down. Touch a helpless target with a weapon or packet and call “Deathstrike one.” If the target does not move or resist, you may call “Death to Beast.” You may instead call “Death to Animal,” but if you do you gain the Cold Hearted trait until the end of the event.

Equipment Method: Borrowed Tools 2 CP

Your powers take the form of limited magic items, pouches of healing herbs, or other handy consumables. You may own up to three such items, and must have at least one on you to use your powers. When you use a power, add “With this (item name)” to the beginning of the effect call.

Bow and Blade 3

(Weapon Style)

You may wield a bow in one hand, and a Long or shorter melee weapon in the other, so long as you have the skill for each.

Longbow 2 CP

(Requires: Archery)

You may use a longbow prop in combat. In addition, all of your missile attacks that do 3 or more points of damage are increased by one. This does not stack with any other numerical increases to damage.

Subtle Aim 3 CP

You may deliver melee attacks from Training skills with a bow, crossbow, slingshot, or thrown weapon that you have the skill to use. You may not deliver the Waylay skill as a ranged attack.

Full Quiver 3 CP (Requires: Archery)

Your quiver size is increased to 20. You may make 20 archery shots instead of 10 before you must stop to refresh your quiver.

Toxic Blade 4 CP

You may use alchemical blade venoms even if you have no Alchemy skills.

Beast Slayer 2 CP (Once per event, 2 endurance)

(Requires 3 skills in this theme.)

When you learn this skill, choose melee, packet, missile, or firearms. Once per event, you gain an attack of that type for "With [Heroic Quality,] Death to Beast." You may instead choose to call “With [Heroic Quality,] Death to Animal,” but if you do you gain the Cold Hearted trait until the end of the event.

Hunter’s Flurry 2 CP (Once per battle)

(Requires 3 skills in this theme.)

Two melee or missile attacks for “2 damage by [attack trait.]”

Ambush 4 CP (Once per event, 2 endurance)

(Requires 5 skills in this theme.)

Once per event, a melee or missile attack for “With [heroic quality,] Stun by [attack trait.]”

Find Your Prey [Epic]

Once per event, you may mark a creature as your prey. Make a melee, missile, firearms, or packet attack for “Inflict Prey Trait by [flavor trait.]” If the attack misses or the target responds with a defense, you may refresh this ability with one minute of rest.

Once your prey is marked, your hunting skills help you locate it. You may spend one Endurance to call “By my voice, Expose Prey by [flavor trait]” up to three times.You may spend Endurance to gain more uses of this ability as often as you wish.

Leave No Trace [Epic]

You are immune to “Expose” effects, and need not respond to them unless you choose to. This ability works even if you are currently unable to use game skills. In addition, you are immune to the use of “between events” skills to track you, or discern your location or actions.