Magehunter

Magehunter — D&D 3.5e

Requirements

• Base Attack Bonus: +5
• Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 4 ranks or Knowledge (religion) 4 ranks; Sense Motive 4 ranks; Spellcraft 4 ranks
• Feat: Iron Will
• Survive the Impossible: Survive and materially contribute to defeating, capturing or driving off a dangerous spellcaster or creature whose spell-like abilities posed a serious threat
• Magehunter Training: Receive practical instruction in identifying casting habits, closing distance safely and disrupting spell use

Possessing spell-like abilities, using magic items, receiving friendly spells or later learning spellcasting never removes Magehunter abilities.

Class Skills

Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str) and Tumble (Dex).

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Intelligence modifier.

Weapon and Armour Proficiency

A Magehunter gains proficiency with all martial weapons and shields other than tower shields if not already proficient. The class grants no additional armour proficiency.

Class Progression

Mage Quarry (Ex)

At 1st level, once per encounter as a swift action, the Magehunter may designate one creature within 60 feet as their Mage Quarry if the Magehunter has either seen that creature cast a spell or use a spell-like ability during the encounter, or successfully identified the creature’s spellcasting or spell-like ability with Spellcraft or an appropriate Knowledge check.

Only one Mage Quarry may be active at a time. The quarry remains designated until the encounter ends, the Magehunter dismisses the effect or another quarry is designated.

The Magehunter gains a +1 insight bonus on attack rolls against the quarry and a +2 insight bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like abilities originating from the quarry. At 3rd level these bonuses become +2 and +3 respectively.

Pressure the Casting (Ex)

A Mage Quarry threatened by the Magehunter increases the DC of Concentration checks made to cast a spell or use a spell-like ability defensively by +4.

If the quarry provokes an attack of opportunity by casting and the Magehunter deals damage with that attack, increase the Concentration DC caused by that damage by +2.

Pressure the Casting does not automatically stop a spell and has no effect when the Magehunter does not threaten the quarry.

Spellward (Ex)

At 2nd level, three times per day, when a spell or spell-like ability would affect the Magehunter and allows spell resistance, the Magehunter may use an immediate action to gain spell resistance equal to 11 + total character level against that one effect only.

The Magehunter chooses whether to use Spellward before resolving spell resistance, saving throws or damage. Spellward has no effect against magic that does not allow spell resistance.

Because Spellward is selective, beneficial magic is unaffected unless the Magehunter deliberately chooses to resist it. At 5th level, Spellward may be used five times per day.

Relentless Step (Ex)

At 3rd level, once per round, when the Mage Quarry takes a 5-foot step or otherwise moves at least 5 feet while within 30 feet of the Magehunter, the Magehunter may use an immediate action to take a 5-foot step.

The step must end closer to the quarry than it began and does not provoke an attack of opportunity from the quarry. It cannot follow teleportation or other instantaneous extradimensional movement.

Sever the Weave (Su)

At 4th level, once per day, when the Magehunter hits the Mage Quarry with a melee attack, the Magehunter may attempt to end one ongoing spell effect on the quarry that has already been identified with Spellcraft.

Make a dispel check of 1d20 + total character level against DC 11 + the effect’s caster level. On a success, that spell effect ends as though successfully dispelled.

Sever the Weave cannot end instantaneous effects, supernatural abilities, extraordinary abilities or effects that cannot normally be dispelled. At 5th level it may be used twice per day.

Spellbreaker (Ex)

At 5th level, once per encounter, when the Mage Quarry successfully casts a spell or uses a spell-like ability defensively while in a square threatened by the Magehunter, the Magehunter may use an immediate action before the effect resolves to make one melee attack against the quarry.

This is not an attack of opportunity. If the attack hits and deals damage, the quarry must make the normal Concentration check for being injured during casting. Pressure the Casting increases that DC by +2.

If the concentration check fails, the spell or spell-like ability is lost normally. If it succeeds, the effect resolves normally.

Magehunter — Pathfinder 1e

Requirements

• Base Attack Bonus: +5
• Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 4 ranks or Knowledge (religion) 4 ranks; Sense Motive 4 ranks; Spellcraft 4 ranks
• Feat: Iron Will
• Survive the Impossible: Survive and materially contribute to defeating, capturing or driving off a dangerous spellcaster or creature with serious spell-like abilities
• Magehunter Training: Complete practical anti-caster training under an experienced specialist or equivalent mentor

Innate spell-like abilities and later spellcasting do not remove Magehunter class features.

Class Skills

Acrobatics (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Knowledge (planes) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Survival (Wis) and Swim (Str).

Skill Ranks at Each Level: 4 + Intelligence modifier.

Weapon and Armour Proficiency

A Magehunter gains proficiency with all martial weapons and shields other than tower shields if not already proficient. The class grants no additional armour proficiency.

Class Progression

Favored Class: Prestige-class levels do not receive favored-class bonuses.

Mage Quarry (Ex)

Once per encounter as a swift action, designate one creature within 60 feet after observing it cast a spell or use a spell-like ability, or after identifying those capabilities with Spellcraft or an appropriate Knowledge check.

Gain +1 insight on attack rolls against the quarry and +2 insight on saving throws against its spells and spell-like abilities. At 3rd level the bonuses become +2 and +3.

Pressure the Casting (Ex)

While the Mage Quarry is threatened by the Magehunter, increase the DC of its concentration checks to cast defensively by +4.

If the Magehunter deals damage with an attack of opportunity triggered by casting, increase the concentration DC caused by that damage by +2.

Spellward (Ex)

Three times per day, increasing to five at 5th level, use an immediate action to gain spell resistance equal to 11 + total character level against one spell or spell-like ability that would affect the Magehunter and allows spell resistance.

Relentless Step (Ex)

Once per round, when the Mage Quarry takes a 5-foot step or otherwise moves at least 5 feet while within 30 feet, the Magehunter may use an immediate action to take a 5-foot step that ends closer to the quarry. This cannot follow teleportation or other instantaneous extradimensional movement.

Sever the Weave (Su)

At 4th level, once per day, increasing to twice per day at 5th level, when the Magehunter hits the Mage Quarry with a melee attack, choose one identified ongoing spell effect on the quarry.

Make a dispel check of 1d20 + total character level against DC 11 + the effect’s caster level. Success ends that spell effect as though successfully dispelled.

Spellbreaker (Ex)

At 5th level, once per encounter, after the Mage Quarry succeeds at defensive casting while threatened but before the effect resolves, the Magehunter may use an immediate action to make one melee attack.

If the attack hits and deals damage, the quarry must make the normal Pathfinder concentration check for being injured during casting. Pressure the Casting adds +2 to that DC. Failure loses the spell or spell-like ability normally.

Who Trains Magehunters?

Magehunters are practical specialists rather than one worldwide order. They may be trained by royal bodyguards, city militias, monster-hunting companies, witch-war veterans, dwarven anti-sorcery units, private bounty organisations or retired adventurers who learned how quickly a battle changes when one enemy can rewrite the rules with a spell.

Training emphasises recognition, patience and distance control rather than hatred of magic. A professional Magehunter knows the difference between a healer and a hostile caster, treats magic items as tools rather than contamination and does not lose learned technique because a friendly wizard casts a spell on them.

Adventure Hooks

The Protected Sorcerer

A Magehunter is hired to guard, not kill, a controversial spellcaster whose testimony could expose a conspiracy.

The Wrong Quarry

Evidence suggests a wizard committed a string of magical murders, but the casting patterns do not match the suspect’s known habits.

The Duel at Ten Paces

A notorious battlemage publicly challenges the Magehunter to prove that martial training is obsolete. The challenge may be bait for something else.

The School Under Siege

An academy asks for Magehunter assistance after something begins killing students between classes. The obvious suspects are the students themselves.

The Silent Caster

A target never uses visible components, never carries a focus and never appears to cast, yet impossible effects follow wherever they go.

The Hunter Hunted

Someone has begun murdering retired Magehunters and leaving magically altered trophies at the scenes.

Related Classes

Magehunter suits a martial character who wants to close on hostile spellcasters, make defensive casting harder and survive direct magical attacks.

Spellbane suits an arcane caster specialising in disrupting and countering magic.

Explore More

• Prestige Classes
• Spellbane

Sources and Rules Provenance

The former version of this page credits Crime and Punishment by Keith Baker, published by Atlas Games. This rebuilt Magehunter is original campaign material and does not reproduce that source’s ritual-purity restrictions, permanent Spell Resistance, Sense Magic, Smite Mystic, Dodge Spell or automatic casting-failure mechanics.

D&D 3.5e and Pathfinder 1e terminology is used for rules compatibility. Pressure the Casting and Spellbreaker deliberately work through each edition’s normal concentration rules.