Background: Bounty Hunter

Most of the time, the constables, sheriffs, and watchmen of the world capture the bad guys and administer the necessary justice. From time to time, however, the worst, most despicable crooks and con men elude the authorities and run for freedom. Left to their own, these scum almost certainly commit more crimes and hurt more people. That’s where you come in. As a bounty hunter, you travel from town to town and village to village in search of the worst of the worst. You track down and apprehend those criminals who’ve escape justice. At the same time, you earn a living, so it’s a win-win sort of situation. If there are times where you end up capturing an innocent man, well, that’s not your problem, so long as you get paid. Give consideration to your former life as a bounty hunter. What started you in the profession, and what convinced you to get out? Did you have regular clients, or did you take whatever work you could find? Which criminal proved the most dangerous or challenging to hunt down? Did you work with a crew, or did you prefer to remain solo? You and your GM can discuss the campaign regions in which you served as a bounty hunter, and what sorts of criminals you typically pursued. Perhaps you usually served the forces of law and order, but at other times--when you needed the coin--you might have worked for other criminals or shady organizations who wanted people retrieved.

Skill Proficiencies: Investigation, Survival Tool Proficiencies: Your choice of disguise kit, forgery kit, or thieves’ tools Languages: One of your choice Equipment: A set of tools of your choice (disguise kit, forgery kit, or thieves’ tools), a set of manacles or similar restraints, collection of wanted posters and bounty claims, a set of traveler’s clothes, and a pouch containing 10 gp

Feature: Bloodhound You possess a special sense for locating refuges, hideouts, and sanctuaries to which escapees and fugitives are likely to flee. You also have a good instinct for the best tactic for extracting information from a contact, be it through bribery, intimidation, flattery, or outright lies. When you question an individual regarding a target you are hunting, be it a person or object, you know which skill stands the highest chance of success (typically Deception, Intimidation, or Persuasion, but other skills may work better in certain circumstances). Suggested Characteristics Your line of work often involves dogged, patient legwork, including interrogating witnesses, identifying tracks, gathering rumors and hints, and uncovering local hiding spots. These long periods of investigation are then punctuated by brief, explosive moments of pursuit and violence. You’ve learned not to trust anyone, and you’ve come to understand that every person-- good or bad--has a reason for what they do. Those reasons may prove foolish or ignorant, but that does not discount those motives. As a bounty hunter, you’ve learned that few people respect you, and nobody likes it when you show up. The crooks hate and fear you because you represent imprisonment or worse. The officials and law officers look down on you as somehow corrupt and greedy. Nobody likes you, but sooner or later, everyone needs your special services. Hate, fear, scorn, or disgust, none of those feelings matter to you; the only thing that matters is getting paid for a job well done. D8 Personality Trait 1 Everyone hides something, everyone lies, and everyone holds some dark secret. The key is exploiting these simple truths.
2 I’m most comfortable when surrounded by crooks, thieves, bastards, and killers. 3 My last job turned pear‐shaped right quick, and now I’m the one who’s being hunted. 4 I like to collect trophies and mementos of my captures. 5 I cultivate a gruff, unpolished, brutish attitude. It helps people underestimate me. 6 Every bad guy has a tale to tell—I’ve heard them all. I don’t believe anybody’s sob story. 7 Whenever I stay in one place for too long I get irritable. 8 I don’t trust the city watch any more than I trust the local thieves and cutthroats. D6 Ideal 1 Vengeance. Criminals killed my family and ruined my old life. I won’t rest until I’ve tracked them down and hurt them. (Evil) 2 Greed. Keep your morals and crusades to yourself. I’m in it for the gold. (Evil) 3 Daredevil. Life is best when I’m chasing someone down or beating someone up. (Chaotic) 4 Justice. There are horrible, monstrous people on the loose, and they need to be hunted and punished. (Lawful) 5 Ambition. I aim to prove I’m the best at what I do, even if it kills me. (Any) 6 Obligation. I keep my word and honor my promises. (Lawful) D6 Bond 1 I’ve made a lot of enemies, and now they’re out for my blood.
2 Someone helped me escape a lifetime of crime by offering me a stark choice. I must provide the same chance to others. 3 My job is to defend the law by going outside the law when necessary. 4 I’ve learned many dark, dirty secrets, and I intend on using those to my own advantage. 5 The thrill of the chase and the excitement of the takedown keep me interested in life. 6 After one too many bad investments and a loan from the thieves’ guild, I need to pay off my debtors… or else. D6 Flaw 1 I always assume you have a sinister ulterior motive for everything you do. 2 I’m a sucker for the sight of gold; I take stupid risks for the shiny stuff. 3 A fool and his money are soon separated. Everything I earn goes to strong booze, good food, and warm companionship. 4 I’d sell out my grandmother if it would save my life. 5 My bad temper lands me in trouble more times than I care to admit. 6 I’m a great judge of character, and I always know when someone is lying to me.