The Bloodborne Hunter

by Guardian

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The Bloodborne Hunter

Hunter

The hunters are a group of warriors who are dedicated to keeping their regions safe by hunting down beasts - or anything other than beasts if need be - that pose a threat. Hunters are agile fighters armed with a trick weapon, a transforming melee weapon in the right hand, and a firearm in the left. They do not employ shields, but rather take advantage of their mobility in order to avoid attacks.

The Blood of Beasts

The most common form of the blood sickness appears to be lycanthropy: Humanoids slowly turning into wolves. Those in the early stages of the sickness have lengthened canine teeth and grow more hair. As they progress, their arms and legs lengthen and the spine hunches over and the face begins to elongate. Eventually, they grow fur and their body finishes the change into a Scourge Beast. Along with the physical transformation comes a mental degradation: At first the victim assumes all people they don't know are hostile and they'll attack on sight. As the alterations progress, the victim becomes more and more savage and hostile, until it can only stand to be around others exactly like it as "regular" humans appear to be beasts through their own blood-addled eyes.

Always Hunting

Throughout history, there are times that the common man is put at risk of extinction, when it is no longer safe to leave your home, when monstrous beasts roam the lands, devouring all they come into contact with, When the fiends are free to work openly, no longer afraid of the humanoid races, when prayers to the gods fall on deaf ears. Some people, with nothing left to lose, choose to fight the monsters back. Most die, but some manage to harness the beasthood within themselves in order to fight the scourge.

Creating a Hunter

Quick Build

You can make a Hunter quickly by following these sugestions. First, Pick Strength or Dextarity as you highest ability score, followed by Wisdom and then Intelligence if you plan to follow the path of the arcane. Choose the Bounty Hunter or Outlander for your background.

Class Features

As a class_name, you gain the following class features

Hit Points


  • Hit Dice: 1d8 per Hunter level
  • Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + Constitution modifier
  • Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 + Constitution modifier per Hunter level after 1st

Proficiencies


  • Armor: Light Armor
  • Weapons: All Simple and Martial Weapons
  • Tools: Smith's Tools

  • Saving Throws: Dexterity, Wisdom
  • Skills: Choose two from Intimidation, Insight, Investigation, Religion, Stealth.

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

  • (a) Any sword or (b) A longbow and a quiver of 20 arrows
  • (a) A shortsword or (b) A shortbow and a quiver of 20 arrows
  • (a) An explorer's pack or (b) An adventurer's pack
  • Leather armor and a hunters trophy

















Stamina Points

At first level as a hunter you start with a number of stamina points equal to your proficiency bonus divide by 2 rounded up. These points allow you to perform unique combat maneuvers to keep pace with your enemies. Your stamina points refill at the beginning of each of your turns in combat, meaning you will always have at least one to use during a round. You can spend one point to do the following actions:

  • Dodge: using your Hunters’ instinct in reaction to an attack, you may impose disadvantage on the attack and move 5 feet to a square not currently occupied.

  • Power Attack: During one of your attacks, you may take a -2 to your attack roll, but add an extra damage die to the damage roll upon a successful hit.

  • Bloodlust: after being hit, use your reaction to roll an attack against the target. If you hit, you absorb HP back based on your damage, able to heal up to half the HP lost.

  • Deflect: when an enemy attacks, you may grant them advantage, but temporarily add your proficiency bonus to your AC. If they miss, you get a free attack against them. You do not add any modifiers to this attack.

  • Visceral Attack: after a successful deflect, you may spend 1 additional point to make an attack with advantage. This attack crits between 18-20.

Trick Weapons

A hunter will fight many beasts of many different varieties and must stay light and agile no matter the fight. Hence, the hunters have created trick weapons. These are weapons that serve two different purposes in one. They require a special understanding to be wielded properly. Upon reaching 2nd level, you have achieved an understanding of these weapons and are able to begin to wield them. You may swap between styles as a free action on your turn. You may choose one of the following to be your hunter’s weapons.



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Trick Weapons
Weapon From 1 Form 2
Theaded Cane 1d8 Piercing, Light, Finesse 1d6 Slashing, Reach, Light, Finesse
Saw Cleaver 1d10 Slashing 1d8 Piercing, Reach
Hunter's Axe 1d10 Slashing 1d12, Heavy, Two-Handed

Upon reaching levels 5 and 13 you may choose to create a new trick weapon based on your Hunter Specialization.


The Hunter
Level Proficiency Bonus Features
1st +2 Stamina Points
2nd +2 Trick Weapons, Bloodvials
3rd +2 Hunter Specialization: Skill, Strength, Arcane, Bloodtinge
4th +2 Ability Score Improvement
5th +3 Trick Weapon, Extra Attack
6th +3 Hunter Specialization Feature
7th +3 Evasion
8th +3 Ability Score Improvement
9th +4 Insightful Mind
10th +4 Embrace the Beast
11th +4 Hunter Specialilization Feature
12th +4 Ability Score Improvement
13th +5 Trick Weapon
14th +5 Insightful Body and Mind
15th +5 Embrace the Beast
16th +5 Ability Score Improvement
17th +6 Hunter Specialization Feature
18th +6 Beastial Roar
19th +6 Ability Score Improvement
20th +6 Embrace the Beast

Bloodvials

All hunters go through a blood transfusion and are injected with beastblood. They keep several vials of beast blood with them to quickly and temporarily restore health. Starting at 2nd level, you have 3 blood vials. As a bonus action, you may inject the blood into your system for temporary HP equal to 1d4 per your Hunter level. This temporary HP dissipates as soon as a combat encounter ends. You regain your vials at the end of a long rest.

Hunter Specialization

Upon reaching 3rd level you may choose one of the four areas to specialize in: Strength, Skill, Bloodtinge, and Arcane. They are detailed at the end of this class.

  • Those who take the path of the Arcane are those who wish to look at the way in which the world moves and how best to manipulate it to their advantage.
  • Hunters who follow the path of Skill wish to show their prowess in combat through their ability to dive in and out of danger unscathed.
  • When a hunter chooses the path of Strength, they worry less about moving out of the way or moving quickly, they aim to stand their ground and hit as hard as possible.
  • The Bloodtinge Hunters swear by theirs methods above all others. They fire at their prey from afar and then close the gap while they are stunned. Unafraid to mix blackpowder and fire.

Ability Score Improvemnt

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two Ability Scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can Attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on Your Turn.

Evasion

Beginning at 7th level, you can nimbly dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as an ancient red dragon’s fiery breath or an ice storm spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.

Insightful Body and Mind

Starting at 9th level, your encounters with monsters and horrors has begun to strengthen your mind. You gain advantage on all Wisdom saving throws. Exposure to chemicals and concoctions has expanded your mind as well. You gain advantage on all constituion saving throws as well.

Starting at 13th level, you can also use your bonus action to end the poisoned status or frightened status.

Embrace the Beast

The danger of the hunt only fuels you further, and you begin to thrive when under the stresses of combat. Starting at 10th level, when your HP drops below 50% of your maximum, you begin to deal extra damage equal to your proficiency bonus per damage roll. This effect ends at the end of the combat encounter and will not carry over into the next until you take damage again.

At 16th level, this ability increases in potency. When your HP drops below 25%, you gain an additional attack during your attack action.

Finally, the ability enhances fully at 20th level. The beasthood consumes you, and under extreme danger, you become the very creatures you hunt. Whenever your HP drops to 0, you may choose to embrace your beasthood and morph into a monstrous form. This form has 100 temporary HP, and can make three claw attacks a turn that deal 3d6 slashing damage. Every other stat stays the same, except STR which increases to 22 (+6).
This form leaves you at serious risk, however. At the end of the combat encounter, your form will fade, the temporary HP will disappear, and you will automatically fail 2 death saving throws. If you drop to 0 temporary HP before the encounter ends, you will die with no chance to roll saves.

Beastial Roar

The beasthood courses through you, making you a terrifying foe. Starting at 18th level, as an Action, you may unleash a loud and booming roar to strike fear into nearby enemies. All enemy targets within 60ft of you must make a Wisdom saving throw, DC 19. On a failed save, they are affected with the fear status effect. They may reroll the save at the end of each of their turns. You can use this effect a number of times per long rest equal to your Wisdom modifier.


Skill

Path of Skill Features
Hunter Level Feature
3rd Quick Attacks, Fast Steps
6th Uncanny Dodge
11th Frenzied Bloodlust
17th Stunned Visceral
Path of Skill Trick Weapons
Hunter Level Trick Weapon
5th Bow Blade
13th Beasthunter Saif
Skil Trick Weapons
Weapon From 1 Form 2
Bow Blade 1d8 Piercing, Range (120/360) 1d8 Slashing, Finesse
Beasthunter Saif 1d10 Slashing, Light, Finesse 1d8 Slashing, Reach, Finesse

Quick Attacks

As a skill hunter, you can use your bonus action to make an additional weapon attack, adding your dexterity modifier to the attack roll.

Fast Steps

In addition, you gain proficiency in Acrobatics.

Uncanny Dodge

Starting at 6th level, when an attacker that you can see hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to halve the attack’s damage against you.






















Frenized Bloodlust

Starting at 11th level, when you use your stamina ability Bloodlust, you make 2 attacks instead for 1, and you can regain the full HP lost.

Stunned Visceral

Starting at 17th level, after attacking and successfully hitting a target twice during one attack action, you can spend 3 stamina points to perform another attack. You achieve a critical hit when you roll between 15-20 for this attack. You must declare that you are using this ability before you roll the attack.


Strength

Path of the Strength Features
Hunter Level Feature
3rd Well Placed Strikes, Beast Strength
6th Hard Hits
11th Whirlwind Strike
17th Heavily Armored
Path of Strength Trick Weapons
Hunter Level Trick Weapon
5th Kirkhammer
13th Stakedriver



















Strength Trick Weapons
Weapon From 1 Form 2
Kirkhammer 1d6 Slashing, Light, Silvered 1d12 Bludgeoning, Heavy, Two-handed
Stakedriver 1d8 Piercing 2d8 Piercing, Reach (1 attack maximum)

Well-Placed Strikes

You have learned to wield ungainly weapons with precision. Starting at 3rd level, anytime you have advantage on an attack, you add an extra damage die to your weapon’s damage roll.

Beastial Strength

Starting at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in Athletics.

Hard Hits

Your power-bearing swings can stagger even the heaviest of enemies. Starting at 6th level, whenever you use the Power Attack stamina ability, your attack has a chance of knocking the enemy prone. The target must succeed a Strength save (DC = 8 + proficiency bonus + Strength modifier) or be knocked prone. The target has disadvantage on the save if they are Medium or smaller, advantage if they are Huge or larger, and neither advantage or disadvantage if they are Large.

Whirlwind Strike

You learn to weild your massive weaponry as if it were light as air. Starting at 11th level, you can spend 2 stamina points to perform a whirlwind strike in a 5ft radius around you. Roll your weapon damage die without modifiers. Each creature in the area must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking all of your weapon damage on a failed save and half as much on a successful one. You can reroll 1s and 2s when you use this ability.

Heavily Armored

Your hunter training has allowed you to master both strength and speed, giving you a lithe but powerful form. Starting at 17th level, you can wear heavy armor and enjoy all of its benefits while still retaining the ability to stealth without disadvantage.



Arcane Hunter Spell Table
Level Cantrips Known Spells Known 1st 2nd 3rd 4th
3rd 2 3 2
4th 2 3 3
5th 2 4 3
6th 2 4 3 2
7th 2 4 4 2
8th 2 5 4 2
9th 2 6 4 3
10th 3 6 4 3
11th 3 7 4 3
12th 3 8 4 3
13th 3 8 4 3 2
14th 3 8 4 3 2
15th 3 8 4 3 2
16th 3 9 4 3 3
17th 3 10 4 3 3
18th 3 11 4 3 3
19th 3 12 4 3 3 1
20th 3 12 4 3 3 1

Arcane

Path of Arcane Features
Hunter Feature
3rd Spellcasting, Elemental Weaponry (d4)
6th Elemental Weaponry (d6)
11th *Elemental Weaponry (d8)
17th Elemental Weaponry (d10), A Call Beyond
Path of Arcane Trick Weapons
Hunter Level Trick Weapon
5th Holy Blade
13th Burial Blade
Arcane Trick Weapons
Weapon Name Form 1 Form 2
Holy Blade 1d6 Slashing, Light, Silvered 1d12 Bludgeoning, Heavy, Two-handed
Burial Blade 1d8 Slashing, Finesse 1d10 Slashing, Two-handed, Reach, Finesse

Spellcasting

When you reach 3rd level, you augment your martial prowess with the ability to cast spells.

Cantrips

You learn two cantrips of your choice from the wizard spell list. You learn an additional wizard cantrip of your choice at 10th level.

Spell Slots

The Hunter Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.

For example, if you know the 1st-level spell Shield and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast Shield using either slot.

Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher You know three 1st-level wizard spells of your choice, of which you must choose from the Divination, Conjuration, and Evocation spells on the wizard spell list.

The Spells Known column of the Hunter Spellcasting table shows when you learn more wizard spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be a Divination, Conjuration, or Evocation spell of your choice, and must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 7th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.

Spellcasting Ability

Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your wizard spells, since you learn your spells through study and memorization. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a wizard spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

Elemental Weaponry

As a student of the arcane, you learn to imbue your weaponry with unique effects. Choose one of 5 damage types to study: fire, force, lightning, radiant, and necrotic. You can imbue one of your weapons with an extra d4 of this damage type as a bonus action. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifer per short rest.

Your damage die increases and you learn a new damage type at levels 6, 11, and 17.

A Call Beyond

Once per day, you may use your action to cause an explosion in the cosmos. Summon 12 beams, each a d6 of force damage, and target as many creatures in a 30-ft radius sphere centered on yourself you can see. The creatures hit with A Call Beyond recive no saving throw and take full damage.


Bloodtinge

Path of Bloodtinge Features
Hunter Feature
3rd Firearms Proficiency, Quick Shot
6th Disrupting Shot
11th Trick Shot
17th Point-blank Shot
Path of Bloodtinge Weapons
Hunter Level Weapon
5th Rifle Spear
13th Repeating Pistol

Bloodtinge Weapons
Weapon Name Form 1 Form 2
Rifle Spear 1d10 Piercing, Reach, Two-handed 1d10 Piercing, Range (100/200)
Repeating Pistol 1d6 Piercing, Light, Loading (5), Range (30/120) (no second form)

Quick Shot

You learn to draw your gun quickly. You may spend a stamina point to make one firearm attack at any time during your turn, or as a reaction to an attack targeted at you.

Firearms Proficiency

As a bloodtinge hunter, you gain proficiency in firearms, and may pick either the blunderbuss or pistol to create.

Path of Bloodtinge Starting Weapons
Weapon Damage Properties
Pistol 1d6 Piercing Damage Light, Loading (1) Range (30/120)
Blunderbuss 2d4 Piercing Damage Loading (1), Range (20/60)

Disruptive Shot

Starting at 6th level, if you hit with a firearm attack as a reaction to an oncoming enemy attack, their attack fails. After landing this attack, you can move 10ft in any direction.

Trick Shot

Starting at 11th level, you may spend a stamina point to aim a shot at one target, not to hurt them, but to attempt to blind or disarm them. They must succeed a Constitution saving throw (DC = 8 + proficiency + Dexterity modifier). On a failed save, the target is either blinded and has their movement havled for one round, or is disarmed, depending on your choice of effect.

Point-blank Shot

Starting at 17th level, you no longer have disadvantage when you attack targets 5ft away with your firearms. In addition, if you hit an enemy with one of these point-blank shots, you may spend 3 stamina points to stun them for a round.

The Unique Weapons of the Hunt

Holy Moonlight Sword

+2 Greatsword, Legendary (Requires Attunement) *

An arcane sword discovered long ago by Ludwig. When blue moonlight dances around the sword, and it channels the abyssal cosmos, its great blade will hurl a shadowy lightwave. The Holy Moonlight Sword is synonymous with Ludwig, the Holy Blade, but few have ever set eyes on the great blade, and whatever guidance it has to offer, it seems to be of a very private, elusive sort.

Arcane Echo: can be charged with arcane damage by using a spell slot, extra d6 force damage per slot level for 1 minute

Arcane Slash: Launch an arcane slash, spell attack, 20ft range, 3d8 force damage (Recharge 5-6)
















Whirligig Saw

*Trick Weapon, Very Rare (Requires Attunement) *

2d6 Slashing Damage

A trick weapon crafted by the workshop heretics, the Powder Kegs, and weapon of choice of the Old Hunter Valtr, the Beast Eater. This weapon pummels beasts in its mace form, but its true strength lies in its attached mechanical saws. These discs, lined with serrated teeth,spin rapidly, thrashing the flesh of beasts into fine shreds.

Make Them Bleed: DC 14 inflict bleed damage, d6 at the start of their turn, can reroll save every round

Unyeilding Pain: continual spin, roll 4d6, for every 2 or 1, roll an additional d6; can keep stacking (Recharge 6)















Reiterpallasch

*+1 Trick Weapon, Very Rare (Requires Attunement) *

1d10 Piercing Damage, light, finess

Weapon wielded by the Knights of Cainhurst. Combines an elegant knight's sword with the peculiar firearm wielded by the Cainhurst order. The old nobles, long-time imbibers of blood, are no strangers to the sanguine plague, and the disposal of beasts was a discrete task left to their servants, or knights, as they were called for the sake of appearances.

Unsuspecting Shot: whenever you land 2 succesful hits in a row, you may use your bonus action to fire a shot from the hidden pistol in the rapier. It deals 1d8 Piercing damage and has a range of 30ft/120ft

Rakuyo

*Trick Weapon, Very Rare (Requires Attunement) *

Hunter weapon wielded by Lady Maria of the Astral Clocktower. A trick sword originated in the same country as the Cainhurst Chikage, only this sword feeds not off blood, but instead demands great dexterity. Lady Maria was fond of this aspect of the Rakuyo, as she frowned upon blood blades, despite being a distant relative of the queen. One day, she abandoned her beloved Rakuyo, casting it into a dark well, when she could stomach it no longer.

Form 1: 1d10 piercing, reach, finesse

Form 2: 1d8 slashing + 1d6 dagger for one free attack, finesse















Kos Parasite

*Wondrous Item, Legendary (Requires Attunement) *

When the carcass of Kos washed up on the coast, its insides were teeming with tiny parasites, unlike any found in humans. This atypical weapon can only be clasped tight and swung, but a Kos Parasite is said to stimulate phantasms inhabiting a lumenwood

Transformation into a Lumenwood: daily recharge 4-6


Lumenwood

Unaligned


  • Armor Class 14
  • Hit Points 90
  • Speed 30ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
18 (+4) 13 (+2) 12 (+1) 22 (+6) 18 (+4) 7 (-2)

  • Condition Immunities Frighted, Charmed
  • Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing From Nonmagical Attacks
  • Damage Immunities Force, Pyschic
  • Senses passive Perception 19
  • Languages Common, Deep Speech

Magic Resistance The Lumenwood has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Actions

Multiattack : The Lumenwood makes three melee attacks: two with its Tentacle and one to graple. Tentacle Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) psychic damage. If the target is Medium or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 16) and must succeed on a DC 18 Intelligence saving throw or be stunned until this grapple ends.
Mind Blast (Recharge 5-6). The Lumenwood magically emits psychic energy in a 30-foot radius. Each enemy creature in that area must succeed on a DC 18 Intelligence saving throw or take 22 (4d8 + 4) psychic damage and be stunned for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
























The Spells of the Hunt

Augur of Ebreatus

conjuration cantrip


  • Casting Time: 1 bonus action
  • Range: Self
  • Components: M, V (a tentacle touched by the beyond)
  • Duration: Instantanous

You conjure, from your hand, a mass of tentacles that envolpes a target within 10 ft of you. The mass of tentacles slams in to your target dealing 1d8 force damage.

This spell's damage increases by 1d8 when you reach 5th level (2d8), 11th level (3d8), and 17th level (4d8).

Executioner's Gloves

2nd-level Conjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 120 feet
  • Components: S,M (gloves worn by an executioner)
  • Duration: 1 round

You create three skulls of blood and hurl them at Targets within range. You can hurl them at one target or several.

Make a ranged spell Attack for each skull. On a hit, the target takes 2d6 force damage.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, you create one additional skull for each slot level above 2nd.




























Tiny Tonitrus

4th-level evocation


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Self (40 ft Line)
  • Components: M (a small electrically charged rod)
  • Duration: Instantaneous

A wall of lightning forming a line of 40 feet long and 5 feet wide blasts out from you in a direction you choose. Each creature in the line must make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 5d12 lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

The lightning ignites flammable objects in the area that aren't being worn or carried.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d12 for each slot above 4rd.

Blacksky Eye

1st-level Conjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 ft
  • Components: M, V (An eye ball belonging to a mad man)
  • Duration: Instantanous

You create an arcane charged meteor and propel it at one creature within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 1d10 bludgeoning damage. Hit or miss, the meteor then explodes. The target and each creature within 5 feet of it must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 2d6 force damage.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the cold damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 1st.

Practice

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