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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Pickaxe" data-source="post: 764091" data-attributes="member: 10812">Remember that rangers are around in 1e, and that a lot of what you see in 3e is due to the fact that people have since come to associate rangers with certain things, including the abilities in 1e.The question, then, becomes, what was the basis for the 1e ranger?I don't know for sure, but I would guess Strider/Aragorn, who, after all, is identified in LoTR as a Ranger of the North. (You also have Rangers of the South, like Faramir.) Remember also that Aragorn was a Numenorean, a race of humans more like elves in their magical ability.So, here's my take on the origins of ranger abilities, starting with the 1e version (I can't comment on 2e):1) Originally, 1e rangers had to have really good ability scores: Str and Int 13+, Wis and Con 14+. The ranger was a fighter subclass, so it makes sense that Str should be high, whereas the high Int and Wis are presumably related to spellcasting (or else could be related to the ultra-wise Numenorean model). High Con was presumably related to the fact that rangers were hardy survivalist types, also indicated by them having 2 hit dice (d8) at first level. Interestingly, the high Con appears to be something that has been completely overlooked in the 3e ranger.2) Bonuses against "giant class" creatures, basically the precursor of Favored Enemy. In the Strider mold, it made sense that rangers spent their lives pursuing the classic enemies of Middle Earth and similar creatures. In 3e, Favored Enemy is a big departure, but it makes sense in terms of the ranger as hunter.3) Rangers in 1e had better chances to surprise and to avoid being surprised. This is reflected in 3e by the skill list for rangers, and it makes sense with them as ambush specialists. It also fits the Strider mold.4) Tracking seems to draw no arguments, and Strider certainly excelled at this.5) Druidic and magic-user (=wizard) spells, though pretty limited. Rangers didn't get these until 8th level in 1e. If I had to guess, I'd tie this to Strider's Numenorean heritage. He does use some limited magic in LoTR, and his ability to heal is important in the story. 1e had no heal skill, so druid spells gave the ranger limited healing ability, and they made more sense since they are related to the outdoors. 3e stayed with the spellcasting ability, but I think they made it accessible at lower levels just to make it a meaningful ability earlier on. They essentially did the same thing with paladin spells.Of course, 1e rangers could only be good, and they could only reach high levels as humans. Since 1e, I think rangers have been abstracted in a number of ways, as archers and as hunters, and then you have the whole Driz'zt archetype, spawning the Ambi/TWF feature.In short, a lot of the abilities of the 3e ranger probably are just historical baggage tied to various early concepts of the class. Frankly, I think the spells make more sense than the Ambi/TWF; at least the spells augment the ranger's image as an outdoors/wilderness fighter type.Just my $0.02.--Axe</blockquote>

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