Hunter Discipline

 

Image by Nicco Salonga

Also called Perception training, the Hunter Discipline allows for the discovery of ambushes and the pursuit of fleeing prey. Invest in this Discipline if:

  • You want to play a tracker of monsters or a seeker of bounties.

  • You don’t want to be ambushed or miss hidden clues.

  • You want to be able to pursue enemies that use Escape effects.


DISCIPLINE OVERVIEW

BASIC SKILLS

Discern Details: Ascertain characteristics via a close inspection

Keen Perception: Locate Concealed creatures or details after a Concentration count.

Pursue Quarry: Chase down a creature that is using an Escape effect. 

COMPLEX SKILLS

Double Take: Discover details about a nearby individual through observation.

Eagle-Eyed: Uncover and reveal skilled creatures that are attempting to hide.

Lead the Hunt: Chase down an escaping quarry and bring bonded allies with you.

Sharpened Senses: You can quicken Keen Perception and apply it offensively.

ERUDITE SKILLS

Insightful Aspect (ATN): Hone your senses to a fine edge and defend your allies.

Keened Defense: After you use Perception or Deduction, your defenses are heightened

Master Tracker: Have a shot ready for when you close in to your prey.

Perfect Accuracy: You may re-try weapon attacks if you miss or if your Target dodges.

Supreme Awareness (1/P): Quickly use Perception and avoid a Master attack

BASIC SKILLS

DISCERN DETAILS

(Basic Hunter; Active-Focus, Sense, Examine)

Through inspection, you are able to ascertain characteristics from someone or something nearby: This skill has two functions.

Discern Creature (qConc-3; Examine): discover a target’s identity or species

  • Step 1: Point at a creature within 5 paces of you

  • Step 2: While doing so, perform 3-counts of quiet Concentration (aka qConc-3)

  • Step 3: If uninterrupted, invoke “Examine - what are you?”

  • Step 4: Your target answers truthfully OOG with one of the following

-- Option 1: Identity: a common name they are known by

-- Option 2: Species: such as Human or Blood Geist. Or even a specific subtype such as Seraph or Slaughter Geist.

Sense Valuables (Conc-5. -Focus; Sense): When you use the Scavenge baseline skill, you can invoke “Quick Scavenge” and expend 1 Focus after Conc-3. This allows you to quickly loot an inert body but remember that looting other PCs counts as PVP and has a different ruleset.

Discern Flaws (qConc-30; Examine): discern a creature’s weakness or resistances

  • Step 1: Be within arm’s reach of a living or dead creature, ideally immobile

  • Step 2: Perform qConc-30 while remaining in reach and simulating study

  • Step 3: If uninterrupted, ask one of the questions below.

-- Option 1: “Examine <species> - What are you vulnerable to?”

-- Option 2: “Examine <species> - What are you resistant to?”

  • Step 4: If the correct species is spoken, the PC or NPC being asked must answer truthfully OOG. Due to the vastness of the cosmos, there are eldritch entities that defy identity.

KEEN PERCEPTION

(Basic Hunter; Active-Conc/Focus, Ranged/Melee-Sense)

You are able to see Concealed creatures, Concealed items, and ghost-like spirits or shoot at a vital area via the procedure below. Even unactivated, this skill warns you of their presence but not their location/positions.

  • Step 1: Perform 10 counts of Concentration (aka Conc-10)

  • Step 2: Expend 1 Focus

  • Step 3: Loudly invoke "Perception" or “Precise Shot”

  • Step 4: If you invoke “Perception”, you gain the "Perceiving" status for the next 10 minutes (approximately). see below.

While Perceiving:

-- See hidden: You can see Concealed individuals (crossed arms over chest) and Spirits (purple/blue headbands).

-- Talk to spirits: Spirits can understand you if you are within step and arm’s reach

-- Additional info: A Game Marshall may point out a Concealed item to you or clarify an unknown facet of the current situation to you.

-- Unveiling-1: To remove “Concealment” from a target, invoke “Unveil” and touch them with a hand/weapon or ranged packet/dart. This does no damage and it ends your Perceiving status unless you get the ability to do it multiple times.

-- Precise Shot: Instead of gaining “Perceiving” or while in that status, invoke “Keen Shot” and shoot/throw a dart/spell packet at a non-Concealed foe. This does not need a Targ count but it does end Perceiving. This inflicts your normal weapon’s damage, “Mangle”, or “Hobble”. This can be modified by Ballistic Push or by certain Ammo Pack augments.

Limitations: You can act/attack normally except as below.

  • Keep an empty hand to your brow (as though shielding your eyes from the sun) or be holding a lamp/lantern at chest height or higher. Failing to do this ends “Perceiving”

  • This means that you can only attack with one handed weapons.

  • Damage does not disrupt you from Perceiving but being unable to use Active Skills will do so (e.g. being Downed or receiving a Pain effect).

  • This cannot reveal a person that is under a Superior Concealment effect.

PURSUE QUARRY

(Basic Hunter; Active-Focus, Pursuit)

Your tracking skills allow you to follow someone who is attempting to quickly Escape the battlefield through a Skill.

  • Step 1: A character within approximately 30 feet is using an Escape effect,

  • Step 2: As a Reaction and within the next 3 seconds, expend 1 Focus

    • Usually, you cannot use Focus skills if you have 0 Focus.

  • Step 3: Invoke “Pursue”

  • Step 4: When your target goes out of game (OOG) from using the Escape effect, you may follow them.

-- You are OOG until your prey re-enters the game (after Escape 60), putting a hand or a weapon atop your head to signal this.

-- You must not attempt to get closer while you are OOG

Skill Restrictions:

-- Proximity: You must be within approximately 30 feet when the target uses the Escape effect. Also, you must invoke “Pursue Quarry” within the next 3 seconds.

-- Mobility: You cannot be wearing Heavy/Ultraheavy armor or have your movement penalized by a Control effect.

-- Go away: After leaving a battle or a similar situation using this Skill, you may not return to it until at least 10 minutes have passed.

-- Superior Escape effects cannot be Pursued without special mechanics.

COMPLEX SKILLS

CORPSE READER

(Complex Doctor/Hunter/Reader; Active-Conc/Focus, Inquiry)

Requires: Any two Basic Hunter, Doctor, and/or Reader skills

With scrutiny and deduction, you can learn more from a corpse, or a person that does not move away from you.

  • Step 1: Choose a creature or corpse (at least 50% intact) as this skill’s subject.

  • Step 2: Perform a Conc-30 while studying the subject within your arm’s reach.

  • Step 3 Expend 1 Focus

  • Step 4: Invoke “Corpse Reader”

  • Step 5: Ask 1-3 of the questions below. -- Your insight is represented by truthful OOG answers from the subject.

-- Deception skills can negate Inquiry effects but not Examine effects.

-- If there is no corpse prop, direct questions to a Game Marshall during or after the scene via a Clue card left outside of Logistics.

  • -- ATN: “Inquiry -- are you under the effects of <specific attunement/affliction>”?

    -- Control: “Inquiry -- what Control effects are you suffering?”

    -- Death: (corpse only) “Examine -- What killed you?”

    -- Species: “Examine -- what Species are you?”

    -- Wounds: “Examine -- What was a significant attack that hit you in the last hour”

Additional Options: If you have Discern Details, Treat Injury, or Cold Reading, you can choose questions from their lists.

Skill Limitations:

-- 1/Period: You cannot use this skill on the same target again until an hour or a Period has passed (whichever comes last).

-- No distractions: This must be done out of combat (out of sight, hearing, and 50 feet)

EAGLE EYED

(Complex Hunter; Sense/Inquiry-Aug)

Requires: Any two basic Hunter skills including Keen Perception

Your mind and your senses work in tandem to discern extra details. This skill has two subfunctions:

Unveiling-3 (Skill Aug; Sense): You may augment “Keen Perception”, invoking it as “Eagle-eyed Perception”. This allows you to perform up to three Unveiling attempts instead of just one before prematurely ending your Perceiving status.

Additional Info (Inquiry, Examine; Aftereffect): Whenever you use Corpse Reader, or Discern Details, you ask one additional question from the questions list as an Aftereffect.

LEAD THE HUNT

(Complex Hunter; Active-Focus, Aug-Pursuit, Bond)

Requires: Any two basic Hunter skills including the ability to use Pursuit effects

You are able to bring allies with you when you Pursue prey. This skill grants the following benefits:

When you perform a Pursue effect (e.g. use Pursue Quarry), you may bring one or two Bonded allies with you.

-- Limitation 1: Bonded: They must be Bonded to you via Blood, Oath, or Command

-- Limitation 2: Melee reach: They must be within arm’s reach and a step of you

-- Limitation 3: Mobile: They can be wearing any armor but must not be under any effect or status that hinders/prevents them from moving (e.g. Downed, Snared, Hobble)

Furthermore, after your target has completed their Escape count, you may invoke “Resolve 1” to grant it to yourself and those you brought with you.

SHARPENED SENSES

(Complex Hunter; Active-Conc, Sense-Aug)

Requires: Any two basic Hunter skills and any two complex Hunter skills including Keen Perception

Your investigation not only reveals information but allows you to prepare a ranged attack. This skill has two subfunctions:

Swift Perception (Skill Aug; Sense): When you use Keen Perception you can augment it and invoke it as “Swift Perception”. This has the following benefit:

-- Replace the Conc requirement with qConc-5.

Perceptive Smite (Aftereffect): When you use Keen Perception and spend 1 Focus as normal, you gain the attack below as an Aftereffect:

-- Ranged Smite: You can perform a ranged “Smite” as though you had the skills to do so. This costs 0 Focus and has no Targeting count, but it is augmented as “Perceptive Smite” This Smite is an Aftereffect to the use of the Keen Perception and must be used within the next 10 minutes.

ERUDITE SKILLS

KEENED DEFENSES

(Erudite Hunter; Defense-Aug)

Requires: Any two basic Hunter skills

Your senses can warn you of danger when you surveil an area or a person. This skill has two functions:

Perceptive Defense (Skill Aug)

  • Step 1: Spend Focus to use a Sense/Examine/Inquiry skill

  • Step 2: Receive a non-Master attack in the next 10 minutes.

  • Step 3: Use “Block”/“Dodge”/“Parry”, augmented and prefixed with “Perceptive”

  • Step 4: This defense’s Focus cost is waived and its effective vs. Ambush attacks.

Uncanny Dodge/Parry (Skill Aug)

  • Step 1: You receive 1 or more attacks, including an Ambush-type attack

  • Step 2: You are about to use “Dodge” or “Parry” as a Reaction to them.

  • Step 3: Invoke the defense but prefix it with “Uncanny” (e.g. Uncanny Dodge)

  • Step 4: This works as normal, but you can also negate Ambush attacks.

In addition, if you are suffering from a Blind effect of any duration,, you are able to use these “Uncanny Dodge” or “Uncanny “Parry”. Normally, you would not be able to use most defenses while Blinded.

INSIGHTFUL ASPECT

(Erudite Hunter/Reader; Active-Task/ATN, Aspect)

Requires: Any two Basic Reader/Hunter skills and any two Complex Reader/Hunter skills

You may enter into a mental state that enhances your senses and deductive abilities.

  • Step 1: Have no other Aspect ATNs on your person

  • Step 2: Write “Insightful Aspect” to two empty ATN slots

  • Step 3: Perform 5+ minutes of meditation in private

  • Step 4: Gain the benefits and limitations below. This Aspect lasts for 1 Event.

Snap Shot (Self-inflict 2): you may invoke “Snap Shot” to instantly perform a Missile attack with a ranged weapon (except Siege Casters)

Question Everything (Aftereffect, Clue): If you have a skill or aptitude that allows you to ask additional questions as an Aftereffect (e.g. Deep Reader, Keen Inquisitive, Eagle-eyed), you may ask one more question than normal -- this is only on Clue Cards.

Inquiring Riposte (Aftereffect): When you are subject to an Inquiry effect from an adjacent person, you are able to use an applicable Inquiry skill upon them waiving the Conc or conversation requirement., Augment it and prefix it with “Insightful”. This can be an Aftereffect to their Inquiry or to your Inquiry defense.

Improved Senses (0 Focus): When you use the Keen Perception or Pursue Quarry skill and it is after Sunrise but before Sunset or you are holding a light source in your hand, you may augment and prefix it with “Insightful” to waive the Focus cost.

Lookout (-Focus): You may use the Guard and the Intervene defenses to protect your allies from attack.

Quicker Study (-Resolve or Self-inflict 2): You gain Quick Study. If you already have it, you can self-inflict 2 damage to use Quickened Targeting or Quickened Studying - but only if you have no Resolve.

Opened Senses: Your maximum HP may not exceed 7 points.

MASTERFUL TRACKER

(Erudite Hunter; Active-Focus, Pursuit-Aug, Ranged-Attack, Bond)

Requires: Any two complex Hunter skills and any two basic Hunter Skills

Not only are you experienced enough to negotiate any distractions or trickeries that your prey might use to shake you off their trail, but also you also have them lined up for a shot as soon as they come into range.

When you use the Pursue Quarry skill, you are granted the following benefits:

Pursuing Shot: You shoot at your prey as soon as you get a clean shot.

  • Step 1A: Your Pursue Quarry target completes their Escape count and returns to game.

  • Step 1B: You are wielding a ranged weapon or are wearing a Knife Pack

  • Step 2: Invoke “Pursuing Shots”

  • Step 3: Perform 3 ranged attacks within the next 5 seconds without a Targeting count. You may not move your feet while launching these attacks.

  • Step 4: Each inflicts your Basic Ranged Attack damage or a “Hobble Wound”

The Thrill of the Chase (requires Lead the Hunt): Instead of Pursuing Shot above, you can grant “Resolve 5” to yourself and those you took using Lead the Hunt.

PERFECT ACCURACY

(Erudite Hunter/Slinger; Active-Focus, Melee/Ranged-Attack, Self-Inflict)

Requires: Any two complex Hunter/Slinger skills and any two basic Hunter/Slinger skills

When it absolutely counts, you can re-attempt a ranged attack that you missed.

  • Step 1: Your ranged attack missed or was negated by “Dodge” or “Aegis”

  • Step 2: Within the next 3 seconds, invoke “Perfect Accuracy”

  • Step 3: Receive a “Self-inflict 2 damage”, which can’t be reduced or redirected.

  • Step 4: Repeat the missed/dodged attack against the original target.

This skill cannot be used again until at least 10 seconds (approximately) have passed.

SUPREME AWARENESS

(Erudite Hunter; Active-Periodic, Sense-Aug)

Requires: Any two complex Hunter skills and any two basic Hunter Skills

With great effort, you can instantly enter the “Perceiving” status or discern information quickly. This skill is used as per below,

Once per Period, choose one of the options below to use this Skill. As a Periodic Skill, it cannot be used again until the next Period and after you have completed a 10 minute Rest.

— Option 1: All-around vision —

  • Step 1: Invoke “Supreme Awareness”

  • Step 2: As per Keen Perception, gain the “Perceiving” status and follow its mechanics.

    • Unlike Keen Perception, you can use ‘Unveiling” any number of times, but only once per person.

  • Step 3: This status ends after 10 minutes, unless it is ended by failing to fulfill its requirements or receiving an effect that prevents Active skill use.

— Option 2: Instant Answers (Aftereffect) —

  • Step 1: Be out of combat (no fighting within 50 feet, sight, or hearing)

  • Step 2: Invoke “Supreme Awareness”

  • Step 3: Use an Inquiry or Examine skill that you possess while waiving its Conc or Parley requirement.

  • Step 4: This nets you information as per normal, although you still might get a Clue Card instead of instant answers when dealing with deceptive persons.

  • Step 5: As an Aftereffect, you can ask two more questions from the same Skill’s lists (or other lists if that specific Skill allows it)

— Option 3: Saw It Coming —

  • Step 1: You receive an attack, including a Master attack and/or an Ambush attack.

  • Step 2: Invoke “Supreme Awareness, negate”

  • Step 3: You gain “Resolve 5” immediately thereafter. This cannot be increased but it is not decreased by limits to Resolve gain except for the Resolve cap of 5.