I've been working on a class for my home group for a long time and I've been calling it a Demon Hunter for now. He's an Inquisitor based class, but he's replaced the Judgment feature for a heightened level of Channel Energy (It caps however to open up new pathways).
Base Things Needed to Know: D8 Hit Dice, Base Skill Points: 5+ Intelligence Modifier
Medium Base Attack Bonus, One Good Save = Will. Needs two or three good stats to be fully effective.
Class Skills: Bluff, Climb, Craft, Diplomacy, Disable Device, Disguise, Heal , Intimidate, Knowledge {arcana}, Knowledge {dungeoneering}, Knowledge{nature}, Knowledge {planes}, Knowledge {religion}, Linguistics, Perception, Profession, Ride, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Stealth, Survival, Swim and Use Magic Device
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The Demon Hunter is proficient with all simple weapons, all ranged weapons (includes thrown weapons but not firearms) plus the following: Battle Axe, Bo Staff, Combat Scabbard, Chain Spear, Double Chained Kama, Flying Blade, Flying Talon, Garrote, Greatsword, Heavy Flail, Kama, Kusarigama, Light Flail, Nunchaku, Rope Gauntlet, Sansetsukon, Sap, Scythe and Tonfa. The Demon Hunter is proficient with Light Armor, Medium Armor and Shields (But not Tower Shields).
I knew that his powers were a bit wonky as well so I put cross class restrictions as well as bonuses for starting as a Demon Hunter to grant leeway for a bit of cohesion.
Multiclass and Prestige Restrictions: The classes below cannot gain levels in Demon Hunter and a Demon Hunter may not multiclass or prestige into the following: Agent of the Grave, Alchemist, Assassin, Barbarian, Blood mage, Blood rager, Collegiate Arcanist, Crimson Assassin, Demoniac, Duelist, Druid, False Priest, Group Leader, Guild Poisoner, Inheritor’s Crusader, Mage of the Third Eye, Master Chymist, Ninja, Pain Taster, Oracle, Rage Prophet, Sanctified Prophet, Samurai, Shadow Dancer, Skald, and Summoner.
Alignment Class Restrictions: If the player starts as a Demon Hunter, he may gain levels in Anti-Paladin, Champion of the Enlightened, Divine Assessor, Paladin or Umbral Agent even if he doesn’t meet the alignment or deity requirements. At level 5 a Demon Hunter’s Channel Energy counts as having both Alignment and Elemental Channel for the purpose of gaining entrance into Prestige Classes.
On to the meaty bits of the class:
Level 1
Channel Energy 1d6 (Grows until Level 11, capping at 6d6) A Demon Hunter may channel Positive or Negative energy, it requires a swift action to swap between. His variant heals and harms with one use.
Domains - The Hunter gains 3 Domains, counts as 2/3rds a Cleric for Domain Power progression.
Discipline - Similar to a Grit ability, granting boosts to damage and survival for extremely short periods of time; also has a few powers that are more permanent
Level 2
Divine Initiative - Grants a bonus equal to Charisma to Initiative.
Detect Alignment - As per the Inquisitor Ability
Alternate Channeling Methods:Shape and Domain - Grants the ability to change the shape of Channel into a Line, a Cone, a Bolt or a Sphere (Sizes and DC bonus varies on Shape); Also allows you to attach your Domain Powers to your Channel, you may only affect one target per use of said Domain Power you're willing to expend.
Level 3
Heart of the Faithful - The heart that beats within this one is extremely strong and so unwavering that it allows him to cast Divine Spells and Channel Energy without the use of a Divine Symbol. It also increases either Charisma or Wisdom by 1. (Rehash of Heart of Faith from Secrets of Divine Channeling)
Track - Grants 1/2 the Demon Hunter's level as a bonus to Survival and Perception Checks when pertaining to finding and following tracks.
Level 4
Alternate Channeling Methods: Alignment and Smiting - A Hunter may now augment his Channeling by infusing it with a particular Alignment instead of Positive or Negative Energy; Healing and Harming based on Character Alignments or Alignment Subtypes. This does allow him to heal and harm Outsiders and Elementals with his Channel. He may also augment a physical or ranged attack with his Channel, the channel may still be resisted to reduce damage even when used in this manner.
Monster Lore - The demon hunter adds his Wisdom modifier on Knowledge skill checks in addition to his Intelligence modifier, when making skill checks to identify the abilities and weaknesses of creatures.
Level 5
Divine Protection - As per the feat from Advanced Class Guide, even if the Hunter doesn't meet the prerequisites.
I'll post more as I update it.
I'll get these compulsions out first:
5 + int skills per level is an anomaly for class, as they like to go even numbers + int mod only. I advise you decide to go one up, or one down.
I AM a lil concerned about your alignment options; allowing someone to simultaneously be a Paladin, and an Anti Paladin feels just wrong. I don't think anyone shy of a truly epic force should be allowed to be in both camps at once.
At the same time, banning other classes because of DIFFERENT possible synergies just seems...strange. I don't see why someone can't be a demon hunter, while also having a sorcerous bloodline.
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The thought provoking: The choice of weapon profs makes me wonder if it's
based on any kind of historical mythology, like Euro-Demon hunters, or Oriental Demon hunters. I'd be curious to know why you went through monk lvl efforts of weapon selectiveness
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Channel: I'd suggest rather then front loading the channel and then dropping it at lvl 11, to spread the progress out seems like a good idea. Alternatively, since Channel seems to be it's THING, it'd say go full progress.
Any base class that increases ability scores with a typeless bonus may not be a good idea. I can only think of level 20 benefits, and Dragon Disciple (prestige class with a lot of 3.5 heritage baggage keeping it up) as sources of built in increase. Unless of course you make the bonus an inherent bonus. If that IS what this feature does, my bad for not knowing.
More then anything else; I'd like to know what this class is supposed to appear as to the world it inhabits; when my character meets a demon hunter; what should I be witnessing, and through the world's lens, what should I expect of him/her?
This class is primarily in test in the Rise of the Runelords campaign. Our group is much larger than most at seven people and we still somehow had niches to fill.
Considering the amount of cults, demonic influences and various other creatures that you may come across it felt like it could need a bit more support than the current classes provide. At this point the party has dealt with a myriad of side quests that all had demonic, undead and dark fey roots. You should expect the determination of a Paladin but the less than merciful stance of the Inquisitor when dealing with a Demon Hunter. They're the clean up crew when all else fails in a situation dealing with demonic entities, the vile undead, faeries that have gone to the old ways and things man was not meant to know.
I was considering calling the class a Witcher as they have a basis in killing various threats of all walks, but then most people that played the game would probably immediately jump to the stigma of sterility involved in that transformation.
The weapon choices are based on various movies, games, fiction novels and myths that have extremely specific ways to destroy fey, demons, undead and 'other-worldly' threats. I disallowed firearms to start because not all dungeon masters are allowing guns of any kind so it wouldn't conflict with their decision making. They however could still be acquired through the use of Black Powder Inquisition or whatever other means you gain the proficiency from.
Dropping Channel Energy as a progressive power is because they pick up a secondary power type later that I've been working on called Bottle Arcane Knowledge. That power allows them to awaken a small portion of their arcane potential. At this point, capping it at 11 allows for it to be useful but doesn't step on the later progress of other abilities that I'm working with.
Paladins and Anti-paladins are always going to be mutually exclusive, I should have still clarified for the possible munchkins in the crowd. I was saying if you started play as a Demon Hunter you could pick up levels in them later without the Lawful Good/Chaotic Evil barrier.
As for banning certain classes due to synergies, the classes with rage were removed based on the discipline feature. If you spent years developing supernatural powers or heightened senses in the same method as lets say Templars from the Dragon Age franchise, spinning around to become a frothing lunatic is counterproductive and would be a serious setback. Each one banned has more reasons behind it than synergy, such as even banning base classes like Druid.