Monster hunters are those with a wider knowledge and higher physical capabilities compared to a normal person, either by training, lineage, or unnatural means. This is a field of work not suitable for the faint of heart, most eking out a living by killing lesser monsters that invade their world. Very few hunters reach the upper echelons of hunter ranks that deal with the monsters that threaten the fabric of reality. The original hunters were believed to be descendants of warriors who waged war against monsters in ages long past, utilizing lost strange technology.
Though the Hunter's Guild exists nearly all over the world, a sanctioned entity to founded to unite hunters in the protection of all. The original hunters were believed to be descendants of warriors who waged war against monsters in ages long past, utilizing lost strange technology. Though hunting was their primary job, it has slowly changed over time to other objectives, such as delivering items and escorting travelers. This eventually led to the Hunter's Guild appearing to fill in many of those requests with hunters.
- Skill Proficiencies: Choose two from among Nature, Investigation, Perception, or Survival
- Languages: Choose two. They must both be associated with your creature type specializations if possible.
- Abyssal - Fiend (Demon)
- Celestial - Celestials
- Deep Speech - Aberrations
- Draconic - Dragons
- Infernal - Fiend (Devil)
- Primordial - Elementals
- Sylvan - Fey
- Giant - Giants
- Construct - Synthic
- Undead - Necron
- Ooze - Harmonial
- Beast - Theroid
- Plant - Arboreal
- Monstrosity - Canavar
- Equipment: A Hunter's Notebook, a monster hunter’s pack (containing a chest, a crowbar, a hammer, three wooden stakes, a holy symbol, a flask of holy water, a set of manacles, a steel mirror, a flask of oil, a tinderbox, and 3 torches), one trinket of special significance (choose one or roll on the Horror Trinkets table after this background), a set of common clothes, and 1 sp.
Prior to becoming an adventurer, your path in life was defined by one dark moment, one fateful decision, or one tragedy. Now you feel a darkness threatening to consume you, and you fear there may be no hope of escape. Choose a harrowing event that haunts you, or roll one on the Harrowing Events table.
| d10 | Harrowing Event |
|---|---|
| 1 | A monster that slaughtered dozens of innocent people spared your life, and you don’t know why. |
| 2 | You were born under a dark star. You can feel it watching you, coldly and distantly. Sometimes it beckons you in the dead of night. |
| 3 | An apparition that has haunted your family for generations now haunts you. You don’t know what it wants, and it won’t leave you alone. |
| 4 | Your family has a history of practicing the dark arts. You dabbled once and felt something horrible clutch at your soul, whereupon you fled in terror. |
| 5 | An oni took your sibling one cold, dark night, and you were unable to stop it. |
| 6 | You were cursed with lycanthropy and later cured. You are now haunted by the innocents you slaughtered. |
| 7 | A hag kidnapped and raised you. You escaped, but the hag still has a magical hold over you and fills your mind with evil thoughts. |
| 8 | You opened an eldritch tome and saw things unfit for a sane mind. You burned the book, but its words and images are burned into your psyche. |
| 9 | A fiend possessed you as a child. You were locked away but escaped. The fiend is still inside you, but now you try to keep it locked away. |
| 10 | You did terrible things to avenge the murder of someone you loved. You became a monster, and it haunts your waking dreams. |
As part of your training, you have been taught to identify the defining characteristics of a specific monster type. Monster hunters tend to specialize in on or two types of monsters, which is why it is common for hunters to band together, to fill in the gaps in specialization.
Choose 2 creature types to be your specializations.
When hunting a creature of your specialization, you have advantage on checks made to recall information, track, or harvest from that creature.
You keep your monster knowledge in a notebook. Monster Hunter notebooks tend to be valuable as most hunters never tend to fight the exact same monster, meaning the knowledge of unique monsters can be worth a sizeable sum, especially to researchers. As such, monster hunters tend not to share information with people outside their guild. Some hunters write their notes in code, just like a wizard writes in their spellbook, making it difficult to understand at a quick glance.
Suggested Characteristics
You have learned to live with the terror that haunts you. You are a survivor, who can be very protective of those who bring light into your darkened life.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I spend a lot of time gathering information from wherever I can. |
| 2 | I often mutter out what I'm thinking when going through my notes. |
| 3 | I keep my weapons (or spellcasting gear) in top condition all the time. |
| 4 | I live for the thrill of the hunt. |
| 5 | My first action in any new town is to ask around if someone may need your services. |
| 6 | I expect danger around every corner. |
| 7 | I hate monsters with a burning passion. |
| 8 | I sometimes regret choosing this profession. Maybe something more peaceful would've been safer. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | My job is more important than some laws. They shouldn't hold me back. (Chaotic) |
| 2 | I swore an oath at the end of my training. Intend to uphold it. (Lawful) |
| 3 | I want to make sure the world is a safer place. (Good) |
| 4 | I want to kill every monster and prove I am the best. (Any) |
| 5 | I like to know my enemy’s capabilities and weaknesses before rushing into battle. (Lawful) |
| 6 | I’m a monster that destroys other monsters, and anything else that gets in my way. (Evil) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I enjoy being thanked for my services. It feels good to be appreciated. |
| 2 | I have committed to an organisation that makes good use of my training. |
| 3 | I take careful care of my notebook. I even draw pretty decorations in it. |
| 4 | Many people are willing to pay for dangers to be removed, and I am willing to accept payment for said removal. |
| 5 | This lifestyle brings risks, but I that's what makes it so fun. |
| 6 | I will avenge those close to me that fell to the horrors that threaten civilisation. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I am a little arrogant at times, rushing it without proper planning. |
| 2 | I enjoy a good drink after hunts, though I may take it too far sometimes. |
| 3 | I need action all the time, preferably a good fight, even when it's not a good idea. |
| 4 | Just one more moment. I need to prepare a little more. |
| 5 | I am actually a very scared person and will likely run away if things go bad. |
| 6 | I am a little too curious for my own safety. |