Help With a Hunter.

[pinny0101]

Hello, in my upcoming game I plan on playing as a hunter with a t-rex animal companion. It is using a custom race called the bio-hunter, so that is already decided.You can view it here. I plan on being a front line fighter wielding a greatsword, but I don't know much more than that. This is going to be a hard campaign so I would like this build to be pretty optimized. However, I have never made a good front line fighter before, so i'm wondering if there are any specific feats/builds I should use to get a high damage output. Thanks in advance. (Edit) This game is currently at level 2 but I am looking for builds to get up to in the future. Any books are allowed and 3rd party can be asked about, but probably not.

[Zwordsman]

I'm honestly not so good at pure beat face either.
but when I had to do one I went to the advice forum's class guides and read some of the battle orientated classes to get an idea about things. Fighter and barbarian helped me get the concept of what base tools i needed.

Teamwork tricks with your trex will be useful.

Soooo this will not be the best advice but generally I usually end up seeing two ways of doing it with the greatsword.
casting lead blades (on your spell list) and going with power attack, furious focus, vital strikes to do big one hits.
or the usual power attack full attack.

but yeah hopefully someone comes around. but I would suggest looking up guides and I think there is actually a few guides for hunter specifically floating around. THey'll have tips nad tricks.

[alexd1976]

Make sure you have INT 13, DEX 13 to qualify for these...

Feats:
Combat Expertise
Pack Flanking
Outflank
Precise Strike
Combat Reflexes

They all work together, and you can get them pretty quick.

That makes it easier to flank, gives bonuses to hit AND damage, and the opportunity to make more attacks with criticals...

Consider raising your animal companions INT score, gives them more tricks and access to feats they wouldn't normally be able to take.

Do not neglect ranged combat. Even if you don't put feats/build towards ranged, at least have the best bow you can afford after your melee stuff is paid for. Just in case.

Casting-personal preference. I focus on healing, TBH, so that I don't drain party resources to heal my pet, also, a secondary healer is usually a good idea in case the primary drops.

I didn't bother boosting WIS, as all my spells are healing/non-aggressive.

Unfortunately, you don't really get a dump stat (maybe INT?). Don't be afraid to spread your points around.

DO NOT fixate on having 18 STR unless you roll for stats, if using a point buy system you benefit most from having scores at 14.

I've played a Hunter up to level 3 (not much experience, I know) but have played Pathfinder since it came out, so... yeah.

My two cents.

[calagnar]

Having a mid level hunter in a home game, and a low level in PFSP. I can say they don't follow the standard feet progression for melee combat. With the exception being good old power attack. The main thing to look at is capitalizing on the fact you share all team work feet's with their animal companion.

This is the feet progression I'm using for my home game. For PFSP I built a range attacker that is better over all. But it takes longer of it go get off the ground and a specific animal companion.

Hunter Currently level 5
1: Improved Initiative
2 Bonus: Outflank
3: Power Attack
3 Teamwork: Look Out (By far the best team work feet. Made even better as every one in the group has it. So if any one in the group acts in the surprise round we all do.)
5: Improved Spell Sharing
6 Teamwork: Ferocious Loyalty
7: Planer Focus
9: Escape Routs
9 Teamwork: Stick Together
11: Improved Critical

[Calth]

Ask your gm if he will let Dirty Fighting count for Pack Flanking.

Consider a different weapon than a greatsword, like the nodachi (which is mathematically the best martial two-hander once you get keen). Skin it as a greatsword if you want.

Really consider a different race, especially if playing point buy, as having -2 wis is not optimal for a hunter.

Consider a sacred hunstmaster(inquisitor archetype) over a hunter. Its a little better than the straight hunter, with significantly better non-combat abilities. Unless you really really want that nature theme.

Never heal in combat as a hunter. Its almost always a waste of an action, as against a legitimate enemy their attack action will almost always do more damage than you heal in a single action. Wands of CLW are your friend. Especially as a partial caster. Use your spells on something useful.

Your companion never needs more than an int of 3, which should get by using its first stat bumb.

Statwise Str>Con=Wis>Dex>Int>Cha(which is dumpable). Unless you don't plan on playing the character very long, you need some Wisdom, but you can probably get away with the 12-14 post-racial range. Remember you need a Wisdom of 10+spell level to cast a spell.

[pinny0101]

Thanks for so many suggestions guys, I will use the nodachi, I did not even know that existed. Some of these feats look pretty good and I will look up some guides as well just in case there are some duh!! things that i missed.

[alexd1976]

pinny0101 wrote:

Thanks for so many suggestions guys, I will use the nodachi, I did not even know that existed. Some of these feats look pretty good and I will look up some guides as well just in case there are some duh!! things that i missed.

Enjoy the hunter, and remember, the pet is the thing to focus on.