Merlion said:
Hey all. I want to get some opnions on some things. We know that 3.5 is going to alter the Ranger Druid Bard and Monk classes. We all(or at least many of us) know the ranger needs work..and most of us probably largely agree on what he needs. Of the other three classes I'd like peoples opnions on what they thinked should be changed, AND what they think WILL be changed.
Thanks
What we know: Rangers and Bards will get more skill points (How many?). Rangers, Druids, and Bards will have their spell lists tweaked. Druids will get some more damaging spells. ALL spell lists will be tweaked, and some spells will change levels.
What I'd like to see: All classes get "Bonus Ranks" in some Knowledge and Profession skills, each level, and perhaps bonus ranks in a more useful skill every other level. Since these are "Bonus Ranks", they are still limited to Level+3, maximum. The Druid and Barbarian could thus get Knowledge (Nature), the Druid Profession (Herbalist), ant the Barbarian something else. The Mage could get a Knowledge skill (Arcana, probably), and Craft (Alchemy).
All classes should get one Bonus Feat/5 levels, just like Wizards do now, but from a select list, like Fighters and Wizards have, now. Many of these Feats should be Class-only, and add more to flavor than power. (As an example, Druids/Rangers could select a Feat to improve Animal Empathy by four, or add Magical Beasts to the types affected, or add +2 to BOTH Animal Empathy AND Handle Animals, etc.)
For Druids, I see no real problems. Give them some better spells, and leave well enough alone. I would make them Masters (or Mistresses) of The Elements, though. No one should have better Fire (Air, Earth, Water) spells than the Druid.
For Bards, 6 skill points/level, and tweak the spells, then add some more and better Bardic Music.
For Rangers, 6 skill points/level, add a few needed skills (Balance and Knowledge (Geography) spring to mind), get rid of the "Virtual Feats" and allow a selection, instead, ADD SOME FLAVORFUL CLASS ABILITIES, add the spells they should have had (Endure Elements springs to mind, and was already mentioned, Barkskin is another), expand the list (shillelagh and flameblade would be nice, as are all of the "Animal-Named" spells: Bear's Endurance, Bull's Strength, Cat's Grace, Owl's Wisdom - give those to Druids, too!) Also, for those who think Rangers shouldn't have spells, allow them a "Trade-it-Away" option! What I do is have Ranger-only Bonus Feats that allow trading a spell slot of a specific level in return for a permanent, weak ability... "Beast-Mastery", for instance, allow him to trade one first level spell slot for the permanent ability to
Speak with Animals at will. Kinda neat (expecially for a player who likes that... uh... show which shall remain nameless).
Other than the above, Paladins and Monks I wouldn't fiddle with. I have no problems with more Smites, though.
Barbarians, on the other hand, have had their primary abilities taken away! Originally, Barbarians were haters of magic (the arcane kind, that is), gradually lost the INability to associate with magic-users and use magic items, and had the equivalent of DR-bypassing. Adding back those abilities (and ESPECIALLY the restrictions!) would cut back on PCs wanting to multiclass as Barbs!