New Prestige Class- Forest Lurker

[DarkMan]

This is my first attempt at a prestige class. I welcome any comments/critique/help.. especially concerning balance. I can never tell if anything's under or over powered.

Thanks!

Forest Lurker

There are those who worship Moah, the goddess of elves and woodlands, and there are those that fight for her. The Forest Lurker is a relentless predator in sylvan settings. He will stop at nothing to protect the forest. With his wits and his bow, destructive humans would be advised to leave the woods with only their footprints.

Hit Die: d8

Requirements
To qualify to become of Forest Lurker, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Alignment: Any Non-evil
Base Attack Bonus: +5
Feats: Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, Precise Shot
Religion: Moah
Race: Elf or Half-Elf
Language: Must speak Sylvan

Class Skills
Climb, Craft, Handle Animal, Hide, Jump, Knowledge (Religion), Knowledge (Nature), Listen, Move Silently, Search, Spot, Survival, Swim, Use Rope

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int Modifier

[b]Level     BAB     Fort  Ref   Will    Special[/b]
1         +1      +0    +2    +0      Non-Elven Combat Woe
2         +2      +0    +3    +0      Forest Mastery, Close Combat Shot
3         +3      +1    +3    +1      Woodland Stride
4         +4      +1    +4    +1      Shot on the Run
5         +5      +1    +4    +1      Wild Shape 1/day
6         +6/+1   +2    +5    +2      Forest Runner (+10 ft)
7         +7/+2   +2    +5    +2      Ranged Threat
8         +8/+3   +2    +6    +2      Trackless Step
9         +9/+4   +3    +6    +3      Wild Shape 2/day
10        +10/+5  +3    +7    +3      Forest Runner (+20 ft)

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Forest Lurker prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Forest Lurkers gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.

Non-Elven Combat Woe: The Forest Lurker takes a -1 to attack per class level When using a weapon other than longbow or shortbow (as well as the composite versions). If using a longsword or rapier, this penalty is halved.

Forest Mastery: In woodland settings, the Forest Lurker receives a +1 circumstance bonus to Hide, Move Silently, Survival, Listen and Spot checks. This bonus increases by +1 at every even level, to a maximum of +5 at 10th level.

Close Combat Shot: The forest lurker can attack with a longbow or shortbow (as well as the composite versions) in a threatened area and not provoke an attack of opportunity. This ability only function when the forest lurker is wearing light or no armor.

Woodland Stride: As the druid ability.

Shot on the Run: The Forest Lurker receives the benefits of the Shot of the Run feat, even if he doesn't meet the prequisites. This benefit only functions when the forest lurker is wearing light or no armor.

Wild Shape: As the druid ability.

Forest Runner: At 6th level, the Forest Lurkers speed is increased by 10 ft when in a woodland setting. This speed increases to +20 ft at 10th level.

Ranged Threat: The forest lurker threaten an area up to 20 feet away as if he had reach, being able to flank, sneak attack and deal attacks of opportunity to opponents within that area with a longbow or shortbow (as well as the composite versions). This benefit only functions when the forest lurker is wearing light or no armor.

Trackless Step: As the druid ability.

 

[Velmont]

At first sight, it seems a good prestige class.

Requirement: Similar to the Arcane Archer, so we can expect something similar in power.

I look at it, and I find it a bit more stronger than teh arcane archer for his abilities, but compensate by the Non-Eleven Combat Woe, weaker Fortitude.

But there is just one thing that seems a bit out of there, it is the Wild Shape... Most of his powers are competence within forest or with a bow, and out of no where, he get some magical abilities. What I see when I look at this class, it is a figther/skirmisher, fanatic defender of the forest, master archer. I think religion Moah is not enough to represent it, maybe you could add another requirement with which we can feel he is develloping such power. It can be something like:

- Can cast divine magic lvl X
- Have access to the Animal Domain
- Can Wild Shape (and so add to the wild shape)
- Special: Must do a quest dictated by Moah. After doing the quest, the character receive the blessing of Moah.

 

[DarkMan]

I wasn't sure about the wild shape. I added it as a divine gift from Moah.. to be able to frolic in the forest with the other little animals. If I were to take it out, what could go in its place?

 

[LightPhoenix]

Personally I believe the Arcane Archer to be the weakest of the DMG prestige classes, so if it's a little more powerful that's alright. One note, is that you don't really get much a benefit for first level... in fact, you get a penalty! You might want to move one of the second level abilities down to first level.

Obviously this is supposed to be geared towards a ranger, so I think the addition of ranks of Survival/Wilderness Lore would certainly be called for. As it stands now a Fighter or even a Human Paladin could qualify for this class at sixth level, which isn't exactly what I think you were going for... though it is a cool concept.

Overall I would say it's pretty good, maybe a touch weak though. They're gonna be really good in a forest skill- and movement-wise. Archery-wise they're okay, but it's only until they get the Ranged Threat at 7th level that they really get a solid tactical bonus. Until then an archery-focused Fighter of equal level is going to be just as good, if not better due to the added feats. Certainly they're not going to be as good as an Arcane Archer.

Now that I think about it, I would just remove the penalty altogether... I don't really think it's necessary for balance reasons.

 

[Velmont]

I wasn't sure about the wild shape. I added it as a divine gift from Moah.. to be able to frolic in the forest with the other little animals. If I were to take it out, what could go in its place?

I think you should let it there, it is pretty cool to think you have a bound with the god, but just be sure this bound already exist with the requirement, like:

Requirement
Special: The character must complete a quest in the name of Moah before being accepted by the god in her ranks.

At first level, you could give something like:

Speak with animal, 1/day, limited to animals found in forest.

 

[DarkMan]

Overall I would say it's pretty good, maybe a touch weak though. They're gonna be really good in a forest skill- and movement-wise. Archery-wise they're okay, but it's only until they get the Ranged Threat at 7th level that they really get a solid tactical bonus. Until then an archery-focused Fighter of equal level is going to be just as good, if not better due to the added feats. Certainly they're not going to be as good as an Arcane Archer.

would do you think i could do to bolster his archery skills in a non-traditional way (unlike peerless archer/order of the bow/deepwood)?

 

[Crothian]

Why do they gain profiency in all simple and martial weapons, when they recieve minuses for any weapon but the Long and Short bow? That doesn't make a lot of sense. I'd just give them profciency in the bow weapons.

 

[DarkMan]

Why do they gain profiency in all simple and martial weapons, when they recieve minuses for any weapon but the Long and Short bow? That doesn't make a lot of sense. I'd just give them profciency in the bow weapons.

yeah, that was mistake. should be fixed, now

 

[hong]

I like it. I may use it IMC, actually.

The only changes I'd suggest:
- the weapon woe penalty is pretty stiff. I'd cap it at -1, tops.
- give it a good Fort save (being in the outdoors all the time makes for a rugged body)
- maybe make Forest Runner an enhancement bonus to speed, so it won't stack with boots of S&S

Good stuff!