Alternative Ranger

[Relic]

I think your Ranger is not bad... better than the PHB Ranger for certain. I have mixed feelings on the Special Technique feats. I prefer that combat feats for the Ranger should be picked up by the Ranger's bonus level feats (1st, 3rd, 6th, 9th, etc). They are not inappropriate, though, and do not overpower the class.

The only thing I do not like about your Ranger is the ability to cast invisibility. I would probably change to simulate hiding in natural surroundings... a bonus to hide/move silently, or maybe the ability to cast camoflauge... or the ability to hide in plain sight while in the Ranger's home terrain. A Ranger casting invisibility seems a bit too "arcane" and steps away from the nature-like template that most people try to convert the Ranger to.

Everything else looks good. =)

 

[Stalker0]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I think I'm going to keep working with it, basiclly trying to push the ranger in his critical areas to the point where he can shine compared to the other classes without giving him too much power.

Basically my idea of an archetypal ranger is:

1) He is the bane of a certain type of enemy, and extremely efficient at dealing with them.

2) He is a force to be reckoned with out in the wilderness.

3) The ranger can see and hear things that noone else knew even to look for.

So with this in mind, I'm going to change my current idea a bit.

For one I'm going to give the ranger one favored terrain at 1st level, he can never take any others. He'll get a bonus to spot, search, listen, wilderness lore while in that terrain. Also, the stealth ability and a few other special abilities I'm thinking of will be related to it. Here's a few new ideas I've had, see what you all think.


5th level: Awareness. The ranger is ever vigilant of what goes on within his terrain. While in his favored terrain, the ranger is constantly under the effects of an alarm spell (radius 25ft). This effect also applies during sleep.

? level: Sentinel. A ranger's steady gaze of a landscape can detect even the smallest details. If the ranger maintains vigilance of a faraway area for one minute, he only suffers half the normal penalties on his spot checks for distance, although his sight range is still limited by visibility conditions. During the vigilance, the ranger can take no other actions, any actions dispells the effects and another minute of concentration is needed to start again.

Special Ability:
Favored Resilance: The ranger recieves a +2 bonus to any save caused by one of his favored enemies.

Favored Vulnerability: The ranger has learned the true vulnerabilities in his favored enemies. Now, whenever fighting one his weapons act as if having the wounding enhancement. This does not stack with the wounding magical enhancement.

Favored Enemy Mastery: The Ranger understands his foes to the point where he can somewhat predict their movements. He has a 10% miss chance against any favored enemy he fights, which stacks with other miss chances.

Terrain Advantage: The ranger has learned to conceal himself within the landscape of his home. Whenever the ranger is in his favored terrain, and has surroundings that could be used for hidings, the ranger has concealment corresponding to a 10% miss chance.

Right now I'm just realeasing the ideas for critique, I'm probably going to have to tweek them a bit and probably throw out a few to get them balanced but still usable.

 

[starkad]

I've looked over Monte's ranger, and its just straight and away over powered.

Now for giving up just a few bonus feats and heavy armor, a fighter can gain many more skills, and animal companion, and SPELLS!! That seems preety crazy to me.

I think you need to read it a bit closer.

They get bonus feats 1/2 as often.

They get d8s for hit dice, not d10s.

Their skill points are not as high as rogues, nor is their skill list as diverse.

The animal companion is a moot point. They never get powerful enough to make a difference if they leave their home territory.

Their spells are minimal at best. They never get anything truly awe inspiring.

I have one in my campaign, and compared to a fighter or rogue of the same level, he is lackluster at best. This is at 15th level. I encouraged him to create a prestige class, which we did, and it worked out very well for him. He's enjoyed it immensely.

I am not saying Monte's ranger is 'the best', nor is anyone's. Honestly, your initial post was so long, I couldn't finish it, so I can't comment on it, my apologies there.

I just think that you skimmed it and didn't even give it a chance, which is fine, because it may not suit what your idea of a ranger is. I would like to point out though, that Monte's version doesn't lock a ranger into being a 2-sword specialist. The ranger in my game utilizes his bonus feats to be a well-rounded woodsman. He's good with a bastardsword and a shield, and equally as good with a bow. He never wanted to use two weapons, so the original ranger wasn't flavorful enough for him, whereas the barbarian was too 'dumbed down' for his idea, and the original fighter didn't have enough skill choices. So this worked out perfectly for him.

It's all a matter of opinion and what you like. If yours works better in your game, go for it.

 

[Stalker0]

The monte ranger gets bonus feats every 3 levels, the fighter every two. That's not 1/2.

That combined with the spells, which I admit aren't that great, but he does get barkskin, healing (including abilty to use CLW wands), entangle, polymorph self!!.

That combined with bonus feats and skills is too much imho.

But hey, if your players like it, then its all good.