Shadow Hunter

Description:

Both House Phiarlan and House Thuranni have had need for more than just spies and informants during the course of the Last War. Back when both branches of this extended family tree were under the same house, there was a need to be able to not just watch, but act from the shadows. Skilled in stealth fighting, prizing speed and a quick death over long drawn out fights, the Shadow Hunters were their martial elite. However, when the two halves of the family split and warred upon each other, it was mostly Shadow Hunters that were holding the knives. Even now that "peace" is present across Khorvaire, these warrior-assassins know well enough not to let their guard down. Because you never known if the next time you close your eyes will be your last.

Role: Shadow hunters are stealth fighters. Relying on their dragonmark to give them a edge in a fight, most shadow hunters start out as rangers, fighters or rogues. While it is possible for arcane casters to choose this prestige, most avoid it as spellcasting normally requires speech, which it gives away one's position.

Source: DGM, pg. 117

Alignment: Shadow hunters come from all walks of life, although it rare for them to be completely upright and honorable citizens. That said, most are either neutral of some kind.

Hit Dice: d8

Requirements:

To qualify to become a shadow hunter, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.

Race: Elf.

Skills: Stealth 5 ranks.

Feats: Least True Dragonmark (Mark of Shadow, Darkness option).

Special: Must be proficient with all martial weapons.

Class Skills:

The shadow hunter's class skills (and the key abilities for each skill) are Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Chr), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Chr), Disguise (Chr), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Chr), Knowledge (local) (Int), Perception (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis) and Stealth (Dex).

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Table: The Shadow Hunter

Class Features:

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

Weapons and Armor Proficiency: Shadow hunters do not gain any new weapon or armor proficiencies.

Heir of Shadow: Starting at the 1st level, the shadow hunter gains a competence bonus on Stealth checks equal one half his class level, round down, to a minimum of +1.

Improved Dragonmark (Su): At 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th levels, the caster level of your dragonmark spell-like abilities increases by +1. This stacks with other sources that increase the caster level of your dragonmark spell-like abilities.

Increased Dragonmark (Su): At 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th and 10th levels, the shadow hunter gains one additional use of his Darkness Least True dragonmark spell-like ability per day.

Poison Use (Ex): At 2nd level, the shadow hunter gains the poison use class ability, as per the assassin prestige class. This does not give the shadow hunter additional precision damage, like dice from a sneak attack, but the shadow hunter can use if he already has it.

Deeper Darkness (Su): At 3rd level, the shadow hunter gains the ability to expend one use of his Darkness Least True dragonmark spell-like ability to enhance an existing Darkness effect created by his Least True dragonmark spell-like ability, turning it into Deeper Darkness, extended out to 60' from the center of the original Darkness effect. This bonus does not apply to any other method of casting Darkness, only when using one application of his Darkness Least True dragonmark spell-like ability on top of another use of his Darkness Least True dragonmark spell-like ability and no one else's.

Bonus Feat: At 5th and, again, at 10th level, the shadow hunters gets to choose a bonus feat from the following list: Combat Expertise, Greater Dirty Trick, Greater True Dragonmark (Mark of Shadow), Improved Dirty Trick, Lesser True Dragonmark (Mark of Shadow), Shadow Strike, Skill Focus (Acrobatics, Perception or Stealth) or Umbral Mark. He must still qualify for the bonus feat normally.

Hide in Plain Sight (Ex): At 7th level, the shadow hunter is able to use the Stealth skill to hide, even while observed. Unlike other classes that have a similar ability, the shadow hunter must be in less than bright light to use this ability.

See In Darkness (Su): At 9th level, the shadow hunter gains the ability to see clearly in all manner of darkness, as per the universal monster ability.