ZombieRoboNinja
First Post
I was trying to figure out what differentiates the ranger class from other martial classes, and personally I come down to one analogy: Rangers are like Batman. They're not the most powerful combatants, but nor are they necessarily the sneakiest or even smartest. Instead, they are the most prepared. One thing that's consistent about every traditional "ranger" I can think of is that it's a really, really bad idea to go after them on their own terms. Every square inch of terrain you try to cover will be trapped and deadly, and they'll have a plan to negate all your best advantages.
So, what's a viable game mechanic to match this style? I mean, you could give him trap-setting as a class ability, or even the "favored enemies" or "favored terrain" from earlier editions. But here's an idea that I think includes all of the above: "contingencies."
The idea is that each ranger knows a certain number of "contingency" maneuvers (or "traps"?), which are at-will abilities that are limited by strict conditions for using them. (The rogue's Sneak Attack is similar: you can use it every round, but only if you meet the condition that you have advantage on attacks against your target.)
Sort of like a fighter choosing maneuvers, you'd start knowing one set contingency ("Quarry") and two more of your choice, and then you'd learn a new one every odd-numbered level. Like warlock maneuvers, any damage from these contingencies would scale with your Ranger level, so they would all remain relatively viable at higher levels.
Some sample Contingencies:
Quarry
You dedicate all your attention to one target, tracing his every move unerringly.
Condition: You are targeting an enemy you made a ranged or melee attack against last round.
Effect: You mark the target as your quarry as you attack. You deal +1d6 damage on all attacks against your quarry, including this one. (This increases by +1d6 every odd level). Your quarry remains marked until it dies or you choose another.
Ambush
You lie in wait to take out your target quickly and efficiently.
Condition: It is your turn in the surprise round of combat.
Effect: You deal +1d6 damage on melee or ranged attacks. (This increases by +1d6 every level.)
Pursuit
Your quarry quickly learns that fleeing will only make you more determined to see their end.
Condition: You moved closer to your quarry in each of the past two rounds.
Effect: If you hit them with a ranged or melee attack, they cannot move on their next turn.
Focus Shot
By hanging back from the fray for a moment, you find the perfect moment to strike.
Condition: You did not attack anyone in the past two rounds.
Effect: If it hits, your next attack crits automatically.
Defensive Perimeter
You prepare the terrain immediately around you, ready for any comers.
Condition: You have not moved from your current spot for the past two rounds of combat.
Effect: You can make an opportunity attack (an attack with advantage as a reaction) against any opponent that enters a square adjacent to your current position.
Set Trap
You are a master trapper, whether your quarry is beast or man.
Condition: You have about a minute outside of combat to set up and disguise your trap. You also need materials to construct it, worth 1g per ranger level.
Effect: You rig a dangerous trap, such as a tripwire or hidden spike, that triggers when an enemy steps near it (in the same square). The enemy can spot it beforehand with a Wisdom check and take half damage with a Dex save. (DCs TBD). The trap deals 1d6 damage+1d6 per odd ranger level. You can also rig it to deal half damage but apply a poison (which you must buy separately, see Poisons in the equipment guide).
Favored Terrain
You've learned the ins and outs of one particular type of terrain.
Special: When you learn this ability, you must choose one type of terrain, such as: forest, plains, jungle, desert, cities, or crypts/dungeons. You can learn this ability again with a different type of terrain.
Condition: You are in your favored terrain.
Effect: You receive advantage on Survival, Spot, and Knowledge (geography) checks, and can move normally through rough terrain.
Favored Enemy
You have spent a great deal of time learning the habits and weaknesses of one specific type of creature.
Special: When you learn this ability, you must choose one type of enemy, such as: humanoid, goblinoid, dragonoid, abomination, or beast. You can learn this ability again with a different type of creature.
Condition: You are dealing with your favored enemy.
Effect: You receive advantage on checks to track and threaten the enemy. Any damage from other Contingencies against that creature are increased by two die sizes (e.g. from d6 to d10).
The general idea is that the ranger would be a good choice for "advanced" players who like setting up combos and so on (who would choose abilities like Pursuit and Defensive Perimeter). But like the new fighter, you could also take a simpler suite of contingencies (like the classic Favored Terrain and Favored Enemy) to make a powerful but straightforward character.
What I like to imagine with this class is a ranger carefully planning out a strategy that maximizes his contingencies: setting up a sniper nest so that he can use Ambush one round and Quarry the next, drawing the enemy through his set traps while setting himself up for Defensive Perimeter once the enemy draws closer.
Anyway, it's a design that makes the ranger a martial class with no "encounter" or "daily" powers that still requires a lot of strategizing to use optimally. I've never playtested it or anything so the numbers are somewhat arbitrary, but the goal would be that a ranger who maximizes his contingencies basically rivals a rogue in damage.
I know that many people would be pissed by any failure to adopt ranger features from their favorite edition. I added a version of Quarry and Favored Enemy/Terrain here, but unlike pre-4e there's no spellcasting. It also might seem to step on the warlord's toes, what with the tactical focus, but the ranger's not nearly no much about teamwork.
Also, a random note: As I've written it above, the class doesn't have any real primary stat other than Dex or Str for your attacks. This is similar to fighter maneuvers, and I think it's probably ideal for a class that is primarily about fighting. But I could see rejiggering things to make Wisdom more important.
So I'm asking two questions for those interested in reacting here: 1. Does this seem like a cool idea, and 2. Is it a Ranger?
So, what's a viable game mechanic to match this style? I mean, you could give him trap-setting as a class ability, or even the "favored enemies" or "favored terrain" from earlier editions. But here's an idea that I think includes all of the above: "contingencies."
The idea is that each ranger knows a certain number of "contingency" maneuvers (or "traps"?), which are at-will abilities that are limited by strict conditions for using them. (The rogue's Sneak Attack is similar: you can use it every round, but only if you meet the condition that you have advantage on attacks against your target.)
Sort of like a fighter choosing maneuvers, you'd start knowing one set contingency ("Quarry") and two more of your choice, and then you'd learn a new one every odd-numbered level. Like warlock maneuvers, any damage from these contingencies would scale with your Ranger level, so they would all remain relatively viable at higher levels.
Some sample Contingencies:
Quarry
You dedicate all your attention to one target, tracing his every move unerringly.
Condition: You are targeting an enemy you made a ranged or melee attack against last round.
Effect: You mark the target as your quarry as you attack. You deal +1d6 damage on all attacks against your quarry, including this one. (This increases by +1d6 every odd level). Your quarry remains marked until it dies or you choose another.
Ambush
You lie in wait to take out your target quickly and efficiently.
Condition: It is your turn in the surprise round of combat.
Effect: You deal +1d6 damage on melee or ranged attacks. (This increases by +1d6 every level.)
Pursuit
Your quarry quickly learns that fleeing will only make you more determined to see their end.
Condition: You moved closer to your quarry in each of the past two rounds.
Effect: If you hit them with a ranged or melee attack, they cannot move on their next turn.
Focus Shot
By hanging back from the fray for a moment, you find the perfect moment to strike.
Condition: You did not attack anyone in the past two rounds.
Effect: If it hits, your next attack crits automatically.
Defensive Perimeter
You prepare the terrain immediately around you, ready for any comers.
Condition: You have not moved from your current spot for the past two rounds of combat.
Effect: You can make an opportunity attack (an attack with advantage as a reaction) against any opponent that enters a square adjacent to your current position.
Set Trap
You are a master trapper, whether your quarry is beast or man.
Condition: You have about a minute outside of combat to set up and disguise your trap. You also need materials to construct it, worth 1g per ranger level.
Effect: You rig a dangerous trap, such as a tripwire or hidden spike, that triggers when an enemy steps near it (in the same square). The enemy can spot it beforehand with a Wisdom check and take half damage with a Dex save. (DCs TBD). The trap deals 1d6 damage+1d6 per odd ranger level. You can also rig it to deal half damage but apply a poison (which you must buy separately, see Poisons in the equipment guide).
Favored Terrain
You've learned the ins and outs of one particular type of terrain.
Special: When you learn this ability, you must choose one type of terrain, such as: forest, plains, jungle, desert, cities, or crypts/dungeons. You can learn this ability again with a different type of terrain.
Condition: You are in your favored terrain.
Effect: You receive advantage on Survival, Spot, and Knowledge (geography) checks, and can move normally through rough terrain.
Favored Enemy
You have spent a great deal of time learning the habits and weaknesses of one specific type of creature.
Special: When you learn this ability, you must choose one type of enemy, such as: humanoid, goblinoid, dragonoid, abomination, or beast. You can learn this ability again with a different type of creature.
Condition: You are dealing with your favored enemy.
Effect: You receive advantage on checks to track and threaten the enemy. Any damage from other Contingencies against that creature are increased by two die sizes (e.g. from d6 to d10).
The general idea is that the ranger would be a good choice for "advanced" players who like setting up combos and so on (who would choose abilities like Pursuit and Defensive Perimeter). But like the new fighter, you could also take a simpler suite of contingencies (like the classic Favored Terrain and Favored Enemy) to make a powerful but straightforward character.
What I like to imagine with this class is a ranger carefully planning out a strategy that maximizes his contingencies: setting up a sniper nest so that he can use Ambush one round and Quarry the next, drawing the enemy through his set traps while setting himself up for Defensive Perimeter once the enemy draws closer.
Anyway, it's a design that makes the ranger a martial class with no "encounter" or "daily" powers that still requires a lot of strategizing to use optimally. I've never playtested it or anything so the numbers are somewhat arbitrary, but the goal would be that a ranger who maximizes his contingencies basically rivals a rogue in damage.
I know that many people would be pissed by any failure to adopt ranger features from their favorite edition. I added a version of Quarry and Favored Enemy/Terrain here, but unlike pre-4e there's no spellcasting. It also might seem to step on the warlord's toes, what with the tactical focus, but the ranger's not nearly no much about teamwork.
Also, a random note: As I've written it above, the class doesn't have any real primary stat other than Dex or Str for your attacks. This is similar to fighter maneuvers, and I think it's probably ideal for a class that is primarily about fighting. But I could see rejiggering things to make Wisdom more important.
So I'm asking two questions for those interested in reacting here: 1. Does this seem like a cool idea, and 2. Is it a Ranger?
