(Monte Cook's) Ranger. (Thanks, I've decided)

[Ravellion]

Pretty self explanatory I think. Here is the link:

http://www.montecook.com/arch_stuff3.html

 

[Cullain]

Personally, I use a toned down version of Monte Cook's ranger. It had the right ideas, but it suffered from not going through enough playtesting, I thought.

Cullain

 

[Crothian]

I still use the PHB version. I thought Monte's was a little over the top powerwise. He has some good ideas, though.

 

[Drew]

I don't really think that Monte's ranger is overpowered, but I also don't think that it solved any of the classes problems.

The PHB ranger looks kind of weak on paper, but it plays out just fine. THe problem is, compared to the other 3E classes, the ranger is very vanilla. You get all your main stuff right at the beginning and then...nothing. Boring.

Still, it plays just fine.

 

[Ravellion]

I am of the opinion that one of the biggest benefits of the Ranger class is the fact that you get spot and listen as a class skill, and the extra 2 points per level to use them.

I play in a campaign where the monte ranger is used, and if I would want to play a fighter, and I rolled well enough to put a 16 in DEX, the MR seems to good to pass up (+2 reflex saves, track, 6 skill points per level, a bonus feat just as fighters, extremely good skill list, good BAB, 2 hit points less at 1st level.

You get a few feats less if you would stick with the class, but you are only one feat behind at level 4. Agreed, no weapon spec... I haven't fully made up my mind on how balanced it is. I have heard plenty of people say that they would take Monte's Ranger over a fighter any day...

Rav

 

[Henry@home]

I am of the opinion that the PBH Ranger is a little front-loaded, but otherwise fine in power.

The ranger's big strengths are in stealth, scouting, and supporting that stealth and scouting by spell-power.

 

[Wormwood]

We use it.

No problems.

 

[Shadowsmith]

In my games, I give players interested in the ranger type three options.

1. The player's handbook ranger
2. The woodsman from WoT
3. My own alt.ranger which is more or less a toned down Monte Ranger

This represents the three types of ranger types within my world. The PH ranger represents two orders of warrior druids (one good oriented, the other evil oriented). The woodsman represents basically a self trained or family trained woodsman. And my alt.ranger is a fighter type that reveres nature and has some training from a local druid order.

I also allow much more customization of the other classes within my game. I expect a good solid background and concept from my players and with that am willing to allow a few additions to the class skill list or even some exchanges. And I encourage the use of NPC classes especially the aristocrat and expert.

But, I digress from the main topic of this thread. I feel that Monte Cook's ranger is a bit too powerful. It does have some really good ideas like the new feats and spells that I readily stole for my own game.

 

[Psion]

Monte's Ranger is definitely overpowered in my book. I think people underestimate the utility of a character with good fighting ability, spells, and good skill availability.

The only changes I make are primarily for the purposes of flexibility.

1) Allow different light armor feat pairs instead of two weapon and ambi (sorry, I don't see florentine style or nito-kenjutsu as being characteristic for a ranger).

2) Allow you to trade a new spell level for a fighter feat.

3) Change how you get favored enemy bonuses... you get +1 at every odd level, and you may allocate them to any category, and they stack (limit 1/3 level + 1). That way, you can have a high level ranger with +4 vs. dragons and +1 vs. orcs instead of +4 vs. orcs and +1 vs. dragons.

 

[Urbanmech]

I use the Monte Ranger but tone it down a little by limiting the feat selection to one at first and then 4th, 8th, etc. I also remove the medium armor prof. This gives the ranger some customization options over the PHB Ranger. Only having light armor also directs the Ranger to be more of a skirmish fighter than a tank, but the Rangers can always choose to take heavier armor if they so desire.