Urban Bounty Hunter: Class Suggestions? - General Discussion - D&D Beyond General - D&D Beyond Forums (2024)

The Urban Bounty Hunter has a pretty exciting premise, while being entirely flexible with how you shape the actual background...you could be someone who operates outside the law, hauling in people who owe money to the local mafia...or you could be a bounty hunter who works with the City Guard, bringing criminals who manage to get outside their jurisdiction. The "velvet mask" idea from the background implies you could be like a spy, blending in with nobles or rich folks who think they are untouchable...right before you slap some cuffs on them and haul them away.

They're are a lot of ways to build a Urban Bounty Hunter, but where I'm stuck is the class.

The first class that comes to mind is Ranger, as they are "trackers" in a natural sense, who could have Humans as their Favored Enemy.

But say you didn't want to do Ranger...the "Thief" Rogue has the nifty ability to use objects with their "Fast Hands" skill...maybe you apply "Drow Poison" or some paralytic to your hand crossbow or blowgun to create a sleep dart to incapacitate your bounty, or "Dimensional Shackles" to subdue a elusive mage who might have used "Misty Step" to get away...

Barbarians have advantage on strength checks; and so they might be particularly good at chasing down bounties and twisting their arms into a grapple. Few could contest them, and Eagle or Elk Totem barbarians are particularly swift. Intimidation gives them a way to shake people down for info.

Monks are even faster than barbarians (in general), and their "Stunning Strikes" can paralyze their target as they require.

Bards are an unconventional choice...they perhaps are best at being a "velvet mask", infiltrating high-society parties or events to find wealthier targets, disguising themselves, "charming" people for information, and with spells like "Hold Person" or "Animate Objects", they have magical means to subdue a bounty...heck, they might even use "Geas" or "Suggestion" to convince a bounty to turn themselves in!

What are some thoughts on the Urban Bounty Hunter?

What do think makes for an ideal class or character for this background? Perhaps share a character you've played as a bounty hunter and your exeriences with it?

I would probably go with the Rogue: thief for second storey work, inquisitive to sniff out the bounty or skirmisher for the maneuverability.

I feel fighter could be a decent shout too: samurai hunting down their enemies, cavalier riding down their enemies, battle master has loads of stuff like disarming and tripping attacks to help detain targets.

I did laugh thinking about a bard whose performance is shouting either "Freeze! Your surrounded!" or just screaming "Shame!".

Quote from Trellard >>

I would probably go with the Rogue: thief for second storey work, inquisitive to sniff out the bounty or skirmisher for the maneuverability.

I feel fighter could be a decent shout too: samurai hunting down their enemies, cavalier riding down their enemies, battle master has loads of stuff like disarming and tripping attacks to help detain targets.

I did laugh thinking about a bard whose performance is shouting either "Freeze! Your surrounded!" or just screaming "Shame!".

Ooh...Cavalier Fighter. That's perfect...you could even do a cowboy thing where the bounty is trailing behind your mount with a rope...any sass from them and you just say "Giddyup!" : )

I love the idea for that bard....waltz up to a criminal hideout and start banging on the door yelling, "City Guard, open up!"

I suppose you could make one of any class you just got to flavour it. Vut glad you like my ideas.

I, like most, suffer from "Too many characters; not enough campaigns".

Ooohhh... a gloomstalker ranger with a few levels of fighter to toughen him up... and a bunch of cool useful toys like a grappling hook and a boomerang and such... and a Cloak of the Bat....

"I'M BATMAN!"

Quote from TaynOfDarkwood >>

Ooohhh... a gloomstalker ranger with a few levels of fighter to toughen him up... and a bunch of cool useful toys like a grappling hook and a boomerang and such... and a Cloak of the Bat....

"I'M BATMAN!"

Or monk, for the punching

I gave my Celestial Warlock the Urban Bounty Hunter background. I set up his backstory to where a distant cousin in his pre-Warlock days got him into the business. He would do odd jobs for well-placed people. Some of the Warlock invocations like Devil's Sight, Ghostly Gaze, and Mask of Many Faces play into the background beautifully. Cantrips like Friends and spells like Tongues allow him to flow through social situations like water through a chain link fence.

The DM has to be a little creative in finding a Patron who has use for this particular skill set.

Ranger: hunters mark :)

I was planning a Shari kai elf 4 levels.assain then gloomstalker. He was sent here to search for an artifact stolen from his tribe. Several of his tribes mates were.sent to various planes in search of the item. He cannot return home untill he finds it. So learning the ways in prime material Plane being a bounty hunter seems to fit his style.

But a fellow player begged to play a thief. So I gave in took a half orc warlock cavalier fighter. Slightly different circ*mstances but worked the bounty Hunter in nicely. Only lv 2 now but going well. Pact of blade with glaive

Here's my character. I play a mark of finding half-orc gloomstalker ranger in Eberron.

ddb.ac/characters/9602032/0t1I18