all about rangers

[PrinceZane]

Oh, forgot about the 1 size larger. I was gonna grab a Cheetah, due it gets the whole free trip thing. that would be cool, i full round, it hits, trips, and i aoo all on my turn, hehe

the dire weasel looks cool tho too, with its whole blood drain thing. problem is the low ac and hps.

What are the penalties for loosing animal comp? Are they as drastic as if a caster loses their familiar?

 

[Len]

IIRC there is a feat that raises your effective druid level for purposes of getting an animal companion by 3?

That's Natural Bond from CAdv.

 

[Len]

What are the penalties for loosing animal comp? Are they as drastic as if a caster loses their familiar?

No, there is no penalty. But it takes 24 hours of work to get a new one.

 

[PrinceZane]

Very cool, so I don't "have" to be careful about sending it into combat, just smart.

 

[Staffan]

That's Natural Bond from CAdv.

I think it's limited to your HD though, so it's sort of the "Practiced Spellcaster" feat for animal companions instead of spellcasting.

 

[Len]

I think it's limited to your HD though, so it's sort of the "Practiced Spellcaster" feat for animal companions instead of spellcasting.

That is not a limitation. A single-class ranger doesn't get an animal companion until 4th level, and the next available feat is at 6th, so Natural Bond cannot push the animal-companion-druid-equivalent-level over the character's HD.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Yeah, 1/2 level kind of sucks, but makes sense. I like that +4 to eff druid level tho, thats kinda neat. Also, when dealing with mounts and animal comps. Can you mount "any" animal so long as it has the str to be able to support your weight? And also, how does attacking with animal comps go? Do they get their own turn or just act as part of my turn, or do I have to sac my attack for theirs?

You should carefully read the description of the Ride skill, and the Mounted Combat section of the SRD. Basically if you're riding your companion, it goes like this:

Step 1: Make a guide with knees Ride check, DC5. If you succeed, you can control your mount with your knees, freeing up both hands to use in combat. If you fail, you have to use one hand to control your mount, so you're only one-handed for combat. (This check will probably be automatic for you with a good dex score.)

Step 2: Decide if you want to have your mount attack this round. If no, act as normal. If yes, go to step 3.

Step 3: Make a Ride check, DC 10, to fight with warhorse. If successful, both you and your mount can attack. If you fail, only your mount can attack.

If you aren't riding your companion, then you need to use the Handle Animal rules to determine whether it can attack or not.

 

[Thanee]

When looking up Handle Animal, you also should look up the animal companion's Link special ability under the druid class description. It makes everything a lot easier.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Plane Sailing]

I think it's too much. Should be level - 3 instead.

I agree, keeps it in line with paladins turn undead ability (for instance) and keeps it usable all the way up without treading on the druids toes.

I use it that way so (naturally) I think it is a fine and sensible house rule

 

[SBMC]

I think it's a good idea not to focus on one style only. Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot is all that's really needed for the bow-chain as a ranger. Maybe Weapon Focus, too.

After that, I would get Power Attack at least, maybe Quick Draw.

Bye
Thanee

For non-fighters you get so few feats over a 20 level career that does not make a lot of sense - 7 feats for non humans and 8 for humans.

With everything one may wish to do besides just combat that is pretty few (as it should b given the awesome abilities they grant).

Additionally Power Attack would be useless to this fellow; his goal in combat is to stay at range; whn would he ever use power attack? Enough to warrant spending a feat on it? When there are literally a twenty or more other ranged feat choices out there (just in the books published thus far in v3.5)?

If he were to want to take to go along a different feat chain for a bit I agree Weapon Focus would be a decent choice - but as a Ranger he can't capitalize as well as a fighter on that (no one can actually). I wodl say if he watns non archery feats then take feats that compliment his class and concept choices. There are many knowledge, reflexive, scouting and "sneak" type feats out there that fit a ranger to a "T"

The fact that there are so many archery, knowledge, reflexive, scouting and "sneak" type feats out there it makes no sense to go a non archery route with this guy with regards to taking combat feats. I would say the same if his ranger was a TWF one or for any non-fighter regading combat feats.