D&D 3E/3.5 Best favored enemy choices in 3.5?

[Norfleet]

The problem with Dragon is, what if you don’t encounter one? Also, two points of damage won’t sway the encounter that much, likely. With Goblins, on the other hand...well, I’ve already said, I guess.

That's why I said picking dragon was contingent on the presence of dragons. Your DM will surely enlighten you on the fact. And it's not two points of damage against the dragon, it's the very hefty to-hit bonus against a dragon....and against a dragon, you need that to-hit bonus.

On the other hand, even if you never encounter a dragon, you can consider that investment in a favored enemy well spent, as it has prevented you from ever being attacked by a dragon at all.

Besides, the game is called "Dungeons and Dragons". Something about it isn't complete unless you have to deal with at least one dragon somewhere in the character's lifetime. Of course, somebody else has stated that the game is called such because it is about hiding from dragons, in dungeons....but I don't put too much stock in that.

 

[MerricB]

Choosing Undead as a favoured enemy is excellent in 3.5E; most DMs use them as a common type of foe, they scale throughout all the levels, and many have damage reduction against your favourite weapon.

Cheers!

 

[Norfleet]

Well, while 3.5 allows ranger FE bonusses to actually work against undead, they still remain the province of your party's cleric. Leave the undead-bashing for the cleric, unless your group happens to be lacking in clerics. The cleric will be way better at bashing undead than you are, anyway.

 

[CrimsonTemplar]

Well, while 3.5 allows ranger FE bonusses to actually work against undead, they still remain the province of your party's cleric. Leave the undead-bashing for the cleric, unless your group happens to be lacking in clerics. The cleric will be way better at bashing undead than you are, anyway.

Interesting...I thought undead (and other types that are immune to critical hits) were also immune to Favored Enemy damage bonuses. Does this mean that plants & constructs also suffer the bonus damage? I don't have my books with me, so could someone quote the relevant passages?

 

[Darklone]

Just have a look at the SRD Favored Enemy description, the passage about damage only applying to non critical immune opponents is missing. The 30ft restriction for ranged attacks is also missing.

SRD without the table of possible Favored Enemies:
Favored Enemy (Ex): At 1st level, a ranger may select a type of creature from among those given on Table: Ranger Favored Enemies. The ranger gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against creatures of this type. Likewise, he gets a +2 bonus on weapon damage rolls against such creatures.
At 5th level and every five levels thereafter (10th, 15th, and 20th level), the ranger may select an additional favored enemy from those given on the table. In addition, at each such interval, the bonus against any one favored enemy (including the one just selected, if so desired) increases by 2.
If the ranger chooses humanoids or outsiders as a favored enemy, he must also choose an associated subtype, as indicated on the table. If a specific creature falls into more than one category of favored enemy, the ranger’s bonuses do not stack; he simply uses whichever bonus is higher.

 

[garyh]

Interesting...I thought undead (and other types that are immune to critical hits) were also immune to Favored Enemy damage bonuses. Does this mean that plants & constructs also suffer the bonus damage? I don't have my books with me, so could someone quote the relevant passages?

You were right for 3.0, but they changed it for 3.5, as Darklone cited. Much better this way, IMHO.

 

[Darklone]

You were right for 3.0, but they changed it for 3.5, as Darklone cited. Much better this way, IMHO.

Right. Halfling rangers with Favored Enemy Human wipe the floor with human fighters.

 

[CrimsonTemplar]

Just have a look at the SRD Favored Enemy description, the passage about damage only applying to non critical immune opponents is missing. The 30ft restriction for ranged attacks is also missing.

Thanks. Don't have the SRD handy & can't get to WotC's site due to proxy server issues (namely, I don't control it).

That makes Supernatural Blow less useful, tho not useless as you can still (sorta) crit the uncrit-able.

 

[rowport]

Wow- thanks for the tip about the Favored Enemy changes, guys! As an archer Ranger/Rogue, both the Undead bonuses and 30' range restriction are significant changes for me! Now, if there was some way to get sneak attack bonuses against Undead, I would really be happy...

 

[Darklone]

Wow- thanks for the tip about the Favored Enemy changes, guys! As an archer Ranger/Rogue, both the Undead bonuses and 30' range restriction are significant changes for me! Now, if there was some way to get sneak attack bonuses against Undead, I would really be happy...

Finding the Secrets (Undead).

Another feat from the KoK PG. But be careful, the prerequisites are steep (Imp Critical, BAB +9 for example)