Hunter build questions

[Bishup]

Im looking at rolling a human hunter or maybe a dhampir for rp reasons. Looks like a lot of fun. Where can I find an easy feat list for me and my pet? Also is it only worth taking 7 levels of Hunter and then add another class to round it out?

[Java Man]

I would stay in hunter at least until level 8 when your animal focus gets a boost. Really I would stay hunter the whole way, except a one level dip to wild child brawler to qualify for combat experise without the 13 int ro get pack flanking. If you check the sticky thread at the top of "advice" for the guide to guides and follow Broken Zenith's link you will find a write ups for hunters as well as animal companions.

[Fruian Thistlefoot]

If your wanting a Dip do it early in Wild Child Brawler 1/ Hunter X. You could Take Caviler for Pack Flanking but you receive less benefits from Cav than you do with Wild Child.

The Dip lets your AC keep full HD level which is what the Hunter class is all about the Animal.

The Dip gives you Brawlers Cunning which lets you take Combat Expertise without having a Int of 13. It also gives you Improved Unarmed strike and Martial Flexibility, which is good because as a melee Hunter you should be using a Reach weapon to control a large area with your tag team.

As for Feats I will give you My hunter build and let you Glean from it:

My Pure Hunter:

Human 20 point buy

Str: 17, Dex: 12, Con: 14, Int 13, Wis: 14, Cha: 8
Traits: Transmuter of Korada- Cat's Grace
Your Choice: Threatened Defender or Dirty Fighter or anything really

Mandatory skills:
You need 5 ranks of Bluff by level 6 to qualify for Broken Wing gambit. It is a bit of a skill tax but the feat is ungodly strong. You get 8 skill points a level anyways so no big deal.

Feats by level:

Human: Combat Reflexes
1: Combat Expertise
2: Teamwork Feat: Outflank
3: Power Attack
3: Teamwork Feat: Pack Flanking
5: Improved Trip
6: Teamwork Feat: Broken Wing Gambit
7: Paired Opportunist
9: Greater Trip
9: Teamwork Feat: Coordinated Maneuver
11: Improved Critical-Reach weapon of Choice (pre-req for Seize the moment)
12: Teamwork Feat: Seize the Moment

I chose not to dip and just pay the 13 Int in the point buy for more skills in the long run. But if you were to dip the teamwork feats would be pushed back 1 level.

Wild Child Dip:

Human: Combat Reflexes
1: Combat Expertise
3: Teamwork Feat: Outflank
3: Power Attack
4: Teamwork Feat: Pack Flanking
5: Improved Trip
7: Teamwork Feat: Broken Wing Gambit
7: Paired Opportunist
9: Greater Trip
10: Teamwork Feat: Coordinated Maneuver
11: Improved Critical-Reach weapon of Choice (pre-req for Seize the moment)
13: Teamwork Feat: Seize the Moment

I typically take the Verminous Hunter Archetype and Use a Mantis which has grab and Later he has a fun little Grab/Grappling package that pairs nicely with my AoO/Tripping Hunter build. Makes for a Good Hammer/anvil style of Character. I recommend picking a Animal Companion that gains natural reach. This will help you control a bigger area of the map. The amount of AoOs you get will be crazy strong. With Martial Flexibility you can pull out a Feat on the fly to help you in a current situation or just to help you damage faster (Viscous stomp comes to mind)

[Bishup]

Thanks for the quick responses. I looked for the guide and did not see Hunter listed. But very helpful non the less. Would it be wrong to try to fit two weapon fighting just for the spell lead blades?

[Chess Pwn]

the damage bump you'd get from 2wf with lead blades is quite small.
1d8->2d6 and 1d6->1d8 so average total 8 -> 11.5
2d6->3d6 average total 7 ->10.5

Since the hunter doesn't get a lot of bonuses to it's damage, 2wf is less attractive. But 2wf does give you more chances to crit with the teamwork feats. So if you go 2wf I wouldn't use lead blades.

[Markov Spiked Chain]

My build is very similar to Fruian's, with the Wild Child dip, except I took Lookout and have to pick up Greater Trip with Martial Flexibility at 9th.

And I'm using a T-Rex, with the Bodyguard Archetype. Bodyguard+Lookout means you always act in the surprise round, and often get a full round instead of just a standard. T-Rex is crazy with this build. 30 Str and Greater Magic Fang at 9th is 2d6+22 damage bites, with multiples per round from Greater Trip, Fortuitous, or Broken Wing.

Some tricks they didn't mention:
- Pick up a lesser Extend rod. Start the day with Improved Spell Sharing, throw up hour/level buffs, then swap to the Teamwork feat you actually want to use.
- Fortuitous Amulet of Mighty Fists (or on your weapon.) Paired Opportunists and Snake Focus mean you're still at +3 for the bonus AoO.
- Don't forget your pet's skirmisher tricks. Vengeance Strike and Surprise Shift can both be great.
- Remember that Brawler lets you threaten and attack adjacent. If you're not taking Brawler, pick up a Ring of Rat Fangs to threaten adjacent. Greater Magic Fang means you don't need to invest much else.
- Definitely get to 8th, switching out after that isn't too bad, but 8th basically quadruples the power of Animal Focus.
- I haven't used it yet, but the Planar Focus feat looks sick.
- I'd avoid TWF, you're not going to get a lot of Full Attacks, and you're getting enough AoOs that you'd rather do more with one hit than multiple smaller hits.
- Grab a few scrolls of Carry Companion, and consider investing in Reduce Animal and/or a Belt of the Weasel for your AC. Narrow tunnels or situations where you can't bring an animal but expect a fight to break out can suck.

[Bishup]

where do you find all the ac tricks and feats?

[Fruian Thistlefoot]

Markov Spiked Chain wrote:

And I'm using a T-Rex, with the Bodyguard Archetype. Bodyguard+Lookout means you always act in the surprise round, and often get a full round instead of just a standard. T-Rex is crazy with this build. 30 Str and Greater Magic Fang at 9th is 2d6+22 damage bites, with multiples per round from Greater Trip, Fortuitous, or Broken Wing.

I use the Giant Mantis with Sudden strike (Level 7+) and feated Combat Reflexes. The reach from being Large allows him to to do similiar to what you have going on. Tho I will admit the T-rex is pretty nice being a Single Bite. When it comes to running a pet class streamlining attacks down really help not slow down play. And that +22 is very nice damage for each AoO.

[Bishup]

also why does a lion and tiger get huge and a bear only get medium? Have you ever seen a full grown grizzly, definately could ride one like a horse.

[Chess Pwn]

Bishup wrote:

also why does a lion and tiger get huge and a bear only get medium? Have you ever seen a full grown grizzly, definitely could ride one like a horse.

The bear when they say bear is a black bear, which is why it's sized as it is.

[Markov Spiked Chain]

bishup wrote:

where do you find all the ac tricks and feats?

Regular tricks are under Handle Animal, Skirmisher tricks (which you should have at least one of, and your buddy can use their Wis+HD/2 per day) are here. And check here for general animal companion rules, including when they get feats, which ones they can pick, and Feats and Archetypes specifically for ACs.

[VampByDay]

Hunters are a pretty strong class, so it is kinda hard to go wrong. Since the hunter class allows you to share your teamwork feats with your animal companion for free, most people double down on the teamwork feats and go melee.

Pack flanking is probably most notorious, as it gives you flanking as long as you and your pet are adjacent to the target, and escape route is a great way to prevent attacks of opportunity for larger creatures. When you are high enough level, outflank doubles your flanking bonus.

Other than that, most will say to go into str and 2-hand a weapon with power attack, though since you are kind squishy (8 HD/level, no heavy armor) that can bet you in trouble, especially for enemies to know to go after you and not your pet.

You can go into other classes, but that will stall both your animal companion and your spells. Your animal companion can be raised up by some feats, but I don't thin it's worth it. Unless you find a few level dip for some broken mechanic or something (and take the feat boon companion to keep your pet up to snuff), I recommend going straight hunter.

[Parrot]

You don't need to dip or use points from point buy. Just take the feat dirty fighting.

Benefit(s): When you attempt a combat maneuver check against a foe you are flanking, you can forgo the +2 bonus on your attack roll for flanking to instead have the combat maneuver not provoke an attack of opportunity. If you have a feat or ability that allows you to attempt the combat maneuver without provoking an attack of opportunity, you can instead increase the bonus on your attack roll for flanking to +4 for the combat maneuver check.

Special: This feat counts as having Dex 13, Int 13, Combat Expertise, and Improved Unarmed Strike for the purposes of meeting the prerequisites of the various improved combat maneuver feats, as well as feats that require those improved combat maneuver feats as prerequisites.

[Markov Spiked Chain]

No, Pack Flanking isn't one "of the improved combat maneuver feats, as well as feats that require those improved combat maneuver feats as prerequisites."

You need good old Combat Expertise, and Pack Flanking is so good it's practically mandatory.

[Drahliana Moonrunner]

Bishup wrote:

Im looking at rolling a human hunter or maybe a dhampir for rp reasons. Looks like a lot of fun. Where can I find an easy feat list for me and my pet? Also is it only worth taking 7 levels of Hunter and then add another class to round it out?

Round out in what way? As a Druid/Ranger hybrid, you're petty much rounded out from the get go.