We have adjusted the favored enemy for rangers to make them more versatile in combatting different creatures. Let me know what you think of this favord enemy houserule.
Favored Enemy: At 1st level, a ranger may select a type of creature as a favored enemy. Due to his extensive study of his foes and training in the proper techniques for combating them, the ranger gains a +1 bonus to Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Wilderness Lore checks when using these skills against this type of creature. (Note Change from text in PHB) Likewise, he gets the same bonus on one of the following: Attack Rolls, Armor Class, Saving Throws, or Damage, when fighting creatures of this type. The ranger may decide which bonus applies during his initiative in each round. The same bonus applies until the ranger is able to act again in the next round. This reflects his training and experience fighting his various chosen enemies. The damage bonus is only gained if the target is within 30 feet and the creature is not immune to critical hits.
At 5th level and at every 5 levels thereafter, the ranger may select a new favored enemy, and the bonus associated with every previously selected favored enemy goes up by +1. For example, a 15th level ranger will have four favored enemies, with bonuses of +4, +3, +2, and +1 respectively.
Table 3-14: Ranger Favored Enemies lists the possible categories for a ranger’s favored enemy.
Hopefully, this will make the ranger a more interesting class to play and more customizable.
My thinking behind the changes to the way favored enemies work is to give the ranger a little versatility in combat against his favored enemies. For example, let’s say a ranger has aberrations as his favored enemy. He might choose an AC bonus when fighting an Athach because they are very strong and have numerous attacks. The same ranger when fighting a Mind Flayer or Aboleth would choose a saving throw bonus as he prepares his mind to deal with the powerful magics wielded by these types of Aberrations. Then the ranger might choose the attack bonus when fighting a Chuul to deal with its high AC. He might choose a damage bonus when fighting Aberrations with a great many hit points. It basically allows the ranger to use different tactics against different types of favored enemies.
This concept even works when applied to humanoids as well. A ranger would use an AC bonus when fighting a single powerful humanoid who hits easily. He might use a save bonus when fighting humanoid priests. He might use the damage bonus when simply dispatching the common soldiers. He might use the attack bonus if fighting a particular well-armored or quick humanoid.
I have always felt the ranger lacked the versatility necessary to be truly effective against their favored enemies. I feel a ranger who has hunted such enemies extensively would be well-versed in the different ways such creatures would fight. I feel the above adjustment to how Favored Enemy bonuses work reflects the rangers experience and training in fighting varying types of creatures within their chosen class of favored enemies.
Favored Enemy: At 1st level, a ranger may select a type of creature as a favored enemy. Due to his extensive study of his foes and training in the proper techniques for combating them, the ranger gains a +1 bonus to Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Wilderness Lore checks when using these skills against this type of creature. (Note Change from text in PHB) Likewise, he gets the same bonus on one of the following: Attack Rolls, Armor Class, Saving Throws, or Damage, when fighting creatures of this type. The ranger may decide which bonus applies during his initiative in each round. The same bonus applies until the ranger is able to act again in the next round. This reflects his training and experience fighting his various chosen enemies. The damage bonus is only gained if the target is within 30 feet and the creature is not immune to critical hits.
At 5th level and at every 5 levels thereafter, the ranger may select a new favored enemy, and the bonus associated with every previously selected favored enemy goes up by +1. For example, a 15th level ranger will have four favored enemies, with bonuses of +4, +3, +2, and +1 respectively.
Table 3-14: Ranger Favored Enemies lists the possible categories for a ranger’s favored enemy.
Hopefully, this will make the ranger a more interesting class to play and more customizable.
My thinking behind the changes to the way favored enemies work is to give the ranger a little versatility in combat against his favored enemies. For example, let’s say a ranger has aberrations as his favored enemy. He might choose an AC bonus when fighting an Athach because they are very strong and have numerous attacks. The same ranger when fighting a Mind Flayer or Aboleth would choose a saving throw bonus as he prepares his mind to deal with the powerful magics wielded by these types of Aberrations. Then the ranger might choose the attack bonus when fighting a Chuul to deal with its high AC. He might choose a damage bonus when fighting Aberrations with a great many hit points. It basically allows the ranger to use different tactics against different types of favored enemies.
This concept even works when applied to humanoids as well. A ranger would use an AC bonus when fighting a single powerful humanoid who hits easily. He might use a save bonus when fighting humanoid priests. He might use the damage bonus when simply dispatching the common soldiers. He might use the attack bonus if fighting a particular well-armored or quick humanoid.
I have always felt the ranger lacked the versatility necessary to be truly effective against their favored enemies. I feel a ranger who has hunted such enemies extensively would be well-versed in the different ways such creatures would fight. I feel the above adjustment to how Favored Enemy bonuses work reflects the rangers experience and training in fighting varying types of creatures within their chosen class of favored enemies.
