Pathfinder 1e Archetype Hunter

Aquatic Beastmaster

Hunters beneath the sea, committed to working alongside their animal companions to eradicate threats.

Class
Hunter
Kind
Archetype
Granted Spells
Replaces
3 features

Hunters beneath the sea are just as committed as their surface-dwelling counterparts to working alongside their animal companions to eradicate threats. Although many aquatic beastmasters simply want to be left alone in the areas they have claimed as their own, others use their abilities to fight against aboleth masterminds, sahuagin tribes, and other villains that haunt the oceans.

Replaces

Animal FocusWild EmpathyImproved Empathic Link

Archetype Features

Animal Focus Level 1 C · Uses-Per-Day Ability

↪ builds on Animal Focus

An aquatic beastmaster emulates animals found beneath the waves. This functions as animal focus, but it allows only the following choices.

Crab: The creature gains a +4 competence bonus on Swim checks and a +2 competence bonus on grapple combat maneuver checks. These bonuses increase to +6 and +4, respectively, at 8th level and to +8 and +6 at 15th level.

Dolphin: The creature gains a +4 competence bonus on Knowledge checks to identify the abilities and weaknesses of creatures. This bonus increases to +6 at 8th level and to +8 at 15th level.

Eel: The creature gains a +2 enhancement bonus to Dexterity. This bonus increases to +4 at 8th level and to +6 at 15th level.

Manta Ray: The creature gains a +4 competence bonus on Stealth checks and a +2 bonus on saving throws against poison. These bonuses increase to +6 and +4, respectively, at 8th level and to +8 and +6 at 15th level.

Octopus: The creature gains a +4 competence bonus on Swim checks and a +2 competence bonus on grapple combat maneuver checks. These bonuses increase to +6 and +4, respectively, at 8th level and to +8 and +6 at 15th level.

Orca: The creature gains a +2 enhancement bonus to Strength. This bonus increases to +4 at 8th level and to +6 at 15th level.

Shark: The creature gains a +4 competence bonus on Survival checks to track a creature to which the hunter or her animal companion has dealt damage in the past 24 hours. This bonus increases to +6 at 8th level and to +8 at 15th level.

Snake: The creature gains a +2 bonus on attack rolls when making attacks of opportunity and a +2 dodge bonus to AC against attacks of opportunity. These bonuses increase to +4 at 8th level and to +6 at 15th level.

Turtle: The creature gains a +2 enhancement bonus to its natural armor bonus. This bonus increases to +4 at 8th level and to +6 at 15th level. (A creature without natural armor has an effective natural armor bonus of +0.)

This ability alters animal focus.

Wild Empathy Level 1 E · Scaling Numeric Track

↪ builds on Wild Empathy

An aquatic beastmaster's wild empathy functions only on creatures that have a swim speed or the aquatic or water subtype. However, she can improve the attitude of any such creature with Intelligence 2 or less regardless of type, including mindless creatures.

This ability alters wild empathy.

Oceanic Defense Level 4 E · Scaling Numeric Track

↪ builds on Improved Empathic Link (Hunter)

At 4th level, an aquatic beastmaster gains a +4 bonus on saving throws against spells with the water descriptor and the extraordinary or supernatural abilities of creatures with the aquatic or water subtype whenever her animal companion is within 60 feet.

This ability replaces improved empathic link.

Grants

Oceanic Defense (Fort)+4 from level 4 (against spells with the water descriptor and the extraordinary or supernatural abilities of creatures with the aquatic or water subtype, while your animal companion is within 60 feet)
Oceanic Defense (Ref)+4 from level 4 (against spells with the water descriptor and the extraordinary or supernatural abilities of creatures with the aquatic or water subtype, while your animal companion is within 60 feet)
Oceanic Defense (Will)+4 from level 4 (against spells with the water descriptor and the extraordinary or supernatural abilities of creatures with the aquatic or water subtype, while your animal companion is within 60 feet)
Attribution

Paizo Inc. · Blood of the Sea · OGL-1.0a

Added to the library by eco_the_exploiter on Sept. 8, 2026.

Original content contributed by Blood of the Sea, designated as Open Game Content under the OGL-1.0a.

How this notice was generated

Sources Used in This Record
  • Based on class: Hunter (Class) — cites Paizo Inc.

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OGL 1.0a Notice. Pathfinder-derived Open Game Content on this page is used under the Open Game License v1.0a and Section 15 notice.