Darkstalkers - Ranger Subclass
Ranger Subclass: Darkstalkers
In most places around the world, there are stories of the things that go bump in the night. In the Queendom, everything goes bump in the night and the night never ends. You and your Enclave have stepped up to bump back and keep people safe. Vampires, Lycanthropes, Ghosts, Zombies, and more stalk the darkened lands of The Queendom; but you are what stalks them. A tradition of techniques and tools have been passed down through the enclave of the Darkstalkers, and while they may be specialized to the creatures of the Queendom, they work on similar monsters throughout the world.Level 3
Darkstalker's Training (Steppen Unique)
As the Darkstalker program, and Superior Blood system specifically, are inherently designed around the expectations of the applicant being a Vampire, the curriculum includes additional training on how to make use of the innate Blood Potency ability that Vampires carry. Unable to do this, Steppen was able to devise an alternate expression of the same principles, sacrificing versatility and flexibility for consistency.
By spending 1 hour in meditation and focusing inward, you can recall your training and amplify your abilities temporarily. Select one of your Ability Scores. Until the end of your next Long Rest, any Ability Checks or Saving Throws you make using that Ability are granted a bonus equal to your Proficiency Bonus, even if you are already proficient in that save or skill. You can use this ability once per Long Rest.
Stalker's Tools
While your own abilities are potent, the quarry of a Darkstalker requires specific tools and resources. Your training in these tools grants you a measure of flexibility to prepare for the hunt ahead.
Starting at 3rd level, you gain access to the Darkstalker’s Tool Kit. At the end of each Long Rest, you may prepare a number of uses of the tools from the kit equal to your Wisdom modifier. You initially choose from the following list of options, but more can be developed. A tool can be prepared multiple times and can be used once for each time it is prepared.
Weapon Silvering Kit
By spending 10 minutes and one use of this tool, you can apply silvering oils and powders to up to 5 weapons or 50 pieces of ammunition for 8 hours.
While silvered, a weapon counts as both Silver and Magical for the purposes of overcoming resistances and immunities, and any creature that is capable of changing shape automatically reverts to its true form when damaged by these weapons.
When you reach level 11, weapons silvered by this tool also deal an additional 1d8 Radiant damage on a hit.
Arcane Replenishing Potions
As an Action, you may drink this potion of powdered arcanum and specific herbs and oils. While the taste is nauseating, the effect is immediate. You regain any expended Spell Slots of up to 3rd level.
1 minute after drinking this potion, your body recoils from the strain of working beyond your limits; You gain 1 level of Exhaustion for each level of the highest level spell slot you recovered. Only a Darkstalker’s body is trained to respond to the effects of this potion.
Blessed Purifying Salts
As a Bonus Action, you can cast a handful of these sacred salts at a creature within 10ft. The creature must make a Wisdom Saving Throw using your Spell Save DC. Undead, Fiends, and Fey creatures have Disadvantage on this save. On a failed save, the target creature suffers from Disadvantage on all of its attacks, has Disadvantage on all of its Saving Throws, and grants Advantage on all attack rolls made against it until the start of your next turn.
Tracking Censer
By placing at least a handful of material from a specific creature inside this censer and lighting it, the smoke drifting out will always drift in the most expeditious path to the target creature. The censer can burn for up to 4 hours per use but can be snuffed out early as an Action. The source material is not burned up and can be extracted.
Blood Purifiers
One preparation of the Blood Purifiers is enough for 4 uses. By spending 10 minutes per creature, a purification solution can be injected. The creature is immediately cleansed of any poisons or toxins and can make a new save against any Diseases affecting it with Advantage.
In addition, for the next 8 hours after treatment, any creature that attempts to feed on a treated creature’s blood immediately takes 2d10 Acid damage. Any unused applications become inert after 8 hours.
Immobilization Anchor
As an Action, target a creature within 5ft of you and make a Melee Weapon Attack using your Strength or Dexterity and Proficiency Bonus. On a hit, the target takes no damage, but has its speed reduced to 0 and is Restrained. At the end of the creature’s next turn, it may make a Strength Saving Throw against your Spell Save DC. On a failure, the creature is Restrained and Paralyzed until you remove the anchors.
In order to function properly, the Immobilization Anchor must have a solid surface to embed into after striking a creature
Stalker's Tools Beyond Level 1
The Stalker's Tools represented above are the Core Toolkit that all Darkstalkers are trained in the use and creation of. Darkstalkers are also encouraged and given leeway to develop their own tools based on resources and materials at hand and the needs to be fulfilled. A complete set of rules for the creation of these tools can be found on Steppen's Custom Darkstalker Tools
Level 5
Darkstalker's Spells
Starting at 5rd level, your training with specifically chosen spells during Darkstalker training has matured as your arcane force has grown. You immediately gain access to specific spells as well as picking up more as you continue to level. At least spell level you learn 2 spells, one that can be cast as normal and one that can only be cast Ritually, as noted in the table below. Any spell gained from this feature is considered a Ranger spell for you and does not count against the total number of spells you can know at one time.
Additionally, when you gain this feature, you also gain the ranger exclusive cantrip, Hunter Sense
Darkstalker Spells Table
Grim Hollow: The Player's Guide
Hunter Sense
0-level (Cantrip) Divination
Casting Time: Action
Range/Area: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You touch one willing creature. While this spell is active, the target's senses are heightened. If the target rolls a 9 or below on the die when making a Wisdom (Perception) check, they instead act as if they rolled a 10.
Available for: Ranger
Deep Magic - Spells
Song of the Forest
3-level Transmutation
Ritual - does not require spell slot, takes 10 minutes longerCasting Time: 10 Minutes
Range/Area: Self
Components: V, S, M
Materials: A dried leaf, crumpled and released
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour.
You attune your senses to the natural world, so that you detect every sound that occurs within 60 feet: wind blowing through branches, falling leaves, grazing deer, trickling streams, and more. You can clearly picture the source of each sound in your mind. The spell gives you tremorsense out to a range of 10 feet. In addition, you have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing. Creatures that make no noise or that are magically silent cannot be detected by this spell's effect.
Available for: Ranger, Druid
Elminster's Guide to Magic v3
Circle of Privacy
4-level Transmutation
Ritual - does not require spell slot, takes 10 minutes longerCasting Time: Action
Range/Area: Self (25-foot Radius)
Components: V, S, M
Materials: Salt
Duration: 24 Hours
The caster sprinkles salt in a circle around a campfire, tent, or some other central object. Natural predators and curious passer-byes are magically discouraged from looking too closely at the area enclosed by the circle.
Sights, sounds and smells inside the circle are masked and muted, and anyone just passing by is unlikely to even notice your camp. Any Wisdom (Perception) checks to find you are made with disadvantage.
This spell does not protect against any form of magical detection.
Available for: Ranger, Druid
Darkstalker's Prey
At 5th level, as a Darkstalker your martial prowess grows and develops along a different path from other Rangers. When a creature within 15ft of you that is under the effects of your Hunter's Mark spell makes an attack against a creature other than you, you may use your Reaction to move up to half your speed and make an Opportunity Attack against it.
Additionally, when a creature under the effects of your Hunter's Mark spell forces you to make a Saving Throw, you may add your Proficiency bonus to that save.
Level 7
Resist the Dark
Repeated conflicts with some of the worst creatures of the dark has left you resistant to their worst tricks. Beginning at 7th level, you are immune to the Frightened condition and all Charm effects.
Additionally, any creature that attempts to Frighten or Charm you must make a Wisdom Saving Throw against your Spell Save DC. On a failure, the creature grants Advantage to your attacks until the end of your next turn.
Level 11
Precision Predator
At level 11 you've learned to pinpoint the most critical weak spots of your foes. Your number of uses of free casts of Hunter's Mark from Favored Enemy is doubled and you no longer have to make Concentration checks to maintain it as a result of taking damage. Additionally, when you cast Hunter's Mark on a creature or move an existing cast to a creature, the target must make an Intelligence Saving Throw. On a failure, your Critical Threat Range is expanded by 1 for that creature while Hunter's Mark remains on it
Also, you may now prepare a number of uses of your Stalker’s Tools per day equal to double your Wisdom Modifier.
Level 17
Dark Savior
The absolute worst of the night requires more serious methods than their lessers. Once you reach level 17 you are trained in a ritual that allows you to tap into the night itself and become a shade of what you fight. As an Action, you may assume the Dark Savior form for 1 hour. You gain Blindsight out to 60ft, your AC increases by 2, and when you move you may pass through creatures as long as you do not end your movement in their space.
Additionally, while in this form, when you take the Attack Action you may make 3 attacks and the expanded Critical Hit Range from Precision Predator now applies to any creature you have Hunter’s Mark on automatically.
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