Heavy Future: Bounty Hunters

One of the things I want to include in Heavy Future is a Bounty Hunter class- I decided to build my Bounty Hunter as a Ranger archetype, and merge the Pathfinder and D20 Modern rules in the same way I did for Black Tokyo Unlimited.

My Bounty Hunter is a gun-focused version of the Skirmisher archetype, a non-magical ranger who has some interesting Intimidation-based and detective type skills. He's got a great, gritty feel with a lot of implied attitude and roleplaying potential. I may be adding to this, and supporting this archetype with various feats and gear, but here's a preview of Heavy Future's Bounty Hunter.

The Bounty Hunter

Ranger Archetype

           

            Bounty Hunters can criss-cross half the galaxy, find their target in some backwater shit hole, and either bring him back to the client alive or dead, as the job demands. Bounty hunters are part detective, part professional kidnapper, part gunthug, and part freelance cop, only they’re usually just a few degrees more honest than any member of those professions. Bounty hunters can’t be squeamish about the jobs they take- the competition for big bounties is too fierce, and the paydays are too tempting. Likewise, Bounty Hunters don’t usually get the luxury of picking who they work for. Bounty Hunters are as apt to take a job brining an innocent kid to a Space Mafioso don for torture and execution as they are to earn their creds capturing wanted criminals. In fact, the Space Mafia usually pays better than the law…..

            Weapon Proficiencies

            Bounty Hunter Rangers gain Personal Firearms Proficiency and Advanced Fire Arms Proficiency as bonus feats.

            Skills

            Bounty Hunter Rangers add Drive and Pilot to their list of class skills.

            Cold Stare (EX)

            Bounty Hunters are dead-eyed sociopaths, even the kindest of them. The worst are monsters from a chase-nightmare wearing body armor and carrying blasters. Bounty Hunters may choose to make an Intimidate check to demoralize a single adversary each round as a swift action.

            As a standard action, the Bounty Hunter can clearly identify himself and his current quarry (the creature he has a current bounty on) and attempt to demoralize the quarry. If this Intimidate check is successful, the quarry becomes panicked rather than shaken, as is typical for demoralized creatures.

            Cold Stare replaces Wild Empathy.

            Bounty Hunting Tactics (EX)

            At 5th level, the Bounty Hunter learns Bounty Hunting Tactics, which typically grant a boon or bonus to the Bounty Hunter or hinder his targets. At 5th level, the ranger learns one trick, selected from the list below. At 7th level, and every two levels thereafter, he learns another trick. A ranger can use these tricks a total number of times per day equal to 1/2 his ranger level + his Wisdom modifier. Tactics are usually swift actions, but sometimes move or free actions that modify a standard action, usually an attack action. Once a trick is chosen, it can't be retrained. A ranger cannot select an individual tactic more than once. This ability replaces the ranger's spells class feature.

Bounty Hunter rangers do not gain any spells or spellcasting ability, do not have a caster level, and cannot use spell trigger and spell completion magic items. As Bounty Hunting Tricks are a variation on the “hunter’s tricks” provided by the Skirmisher ranger archetype, the GM may allow you to select skirmisher tricks as variant class abilities.

The following is a list of hunter tricks and their effects.

Aiding Attack (Ex): The ranger can use this trick as a free action when he hits a creature with an attack. The next ally who makes an attack against the target creature before the start of the ranger's next turn gains a +2 circumstance bonus on that attack roll.

            Back Hand (EX): You activate this tactic as part of an unarmed strike. If the attack is successful, your target is knocked prone.

            Blaster Burn (EX): The ranger can activate this trick as a free action before making a ranged attack roll that would inflict energy damage. If the attack is successful, the target suffers an additional 1d4 points of energy damage of same type as the initial attack per round for the next two rounds.

Catfall (Ex): The ranger can use this trick as an immediate action when he falls 20 or more feet, ignoring the first 20 feet of the fall when calculating the falling damage. If the ranger takes no damage from the fall, he does not fall prone.

Casual Violence (EX): As a free action as part of a missed melee attack, the Bounty Hunter inflicts a number of points of damage (slashing, piercing or bludgeoning, at the Bounty Hunter’s option) equal to his ranger level to the missed attack’s target. 

            Cold Will (EX): Invoking this ability as a swift action, the ranger becomes immune to mind affecting abilities for one round.

Distracting Attack (EX): The ranger can use this trick as a free action before he makes an attack. If the attack hits, the target takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls for 1 round.

Dying Declaration (EX): As a full round action, the Bounty Hunter can viciously interrogate a creature reduced to 0 HP or fewer but not completely destroyed (a victim killed by a gunshot to the chest, but not one atomized by an explosion). The dying creature will croak out a short (5 words at most)phrase providing some insight to one of the Bounty Hunter’s current targets, such as the target’s current or near future location, the target’s goals, weaknesses, capabilities, weapons, ect.

            Fist Full of Gun (EX): The ranger can use this tactic as a free action when he hits with a ranged attack. Any damage dice that come up as either the highest or second (ex: 7-8 on D8 or 9-10 on D10) highest possible result are rerolled; dice can be rerolled multiple times if they continue to roll high.

            Gut Shot (EX): The ranger can use this tactic as a free action when he hits with a ranged attack. The target is sickened for one round and suffers Bleed 2 for 1d4 rounds.

Hobbling Attack (EX): The ranger can use this trick as a free action when he hits with an attack. The target of the attack's land speed is reduced by half for 1d4 rounds.

            Hell Hound (EX): As a swift action you can increase the critical threat range of your weapons by one point per world (planet, inhabited moon, space station, arc ship, ect) you have actively persued your target through. Example: You’re pursing a criminal who you encountered first on Earth, than again on Rigel II Beta, and finally on Andromeda VII, your weapon attacks would have their critical threat range increased by three. This enhancement lasts for one round. This ability only functions against a single target, which you designate when you activate the power.

            I Hate This Planet (EX): The Bounty Hunter’s disdain for the backwater world he’s chased his quarry to improves keeps him sharp. As a swift action, the Bounty Hunter can receive a +5 insight bonus on his next ranged attack roll. If this ranged attack is successful, an inanimate object, structure of piece of cover within 30 ft of the target and in a straight line from it suffers the same amount of damage as the initial target.

Rattling Strike (EX): The ranger can use this trick as a free action before he makes a melee attack. If the attack hits, the target is shaken for 1d4 rounds.

Reputation for Violence (EX): If you invoke this trick as a free action while making a melee attack, you roll an Intimidate check rather than a melee attack roll to determine the attack’s success.

“Safety’s On” (EX): As a swift action, you make a Bluff check against an adjacent, armed target who can clearly understand you. If the Bluff check is successful, the target inadvertently either ejects her weapon’s magazine or completely drains its power cell.

Stay Up (EX): The ranger can activate this trick as a swift action. Doing so allows him to reroll a failed FORT Save; he must take the results of the reroll even if they are worse then the first results.

            Tirade (EX): As an immediate action, whenever you successfully demoralize a character with Intimidate, you can attempt a new Intimidate check to demoralize another target within 30 ft who can clearly see and hear you.

Trick Shot (EX): As a standard action, the ranger can make a ranged attack that ignores concealment (but not total concealment), soft cover, and partial cover.

Uncanny Senses (EX): As an immediate action, the ranger gains a +10 insight bonus on Perception (Spot) checks for 1 round.

Warning Shot (EX): As an immediate action after making a successful ranged attack roll and rolling damage, the Bounty Hunter can elect not to deal damage. Instead, the target is paralyzed for one round, if they fail a WILL Save with a DC equal to the rolled damage. If they save, the warning shot has no effect. This is a mind influencing, fear effect.