Favored Enemy Rationale

[sfedi]

Where does Favored Enemy extra damage come from?

Is it because of hate?

Is it because of knowledge?

Is it magical, like a bane weapon?

More importantly... when does it not apply?

I find hard to adjudicate a situation where the ranger doesn´t know the type of the creature (a disguised elf, as a human).

 

[takasi]

I like to think of it as a specific combat style that is anathema to the anatomy and/or behavior of your foe.

In the example you gave, the elf may be disguised as a human but it's still an elf. If you always go for the ears first then you're probably going to do a little extra damage than you would if he was really a human.

 

[Caliban]

The flavor text has changed over time, effectively from "hated enemy" to "well studied prey".

Technically it applies regardless of the rangers awareness of the creatures true nature. As long as they fall into the proper sub-type, he hits them where it hurts.

You can either add restrictions to the ability to suit your sensibilities, or rationalize in a fashion that matches the rules. "hmm... that human sure moves a lot like the elves I've studied, I'll try my special "hit the elf in the acorns" technique on him."

 

[frankthedm]

Sorry, there is no way to rationalize it. Change it form Extraordinary to supernatural and call it a gift of some spirit of the hunt. If the anatomical differences between humans and a halfling cause the bonus to go away, so should the differences between a gryphon and a hydra.

Only thing that gets around it is being incorporeal or being invisible IIRC.

 

[SteelDraco]

Only thing that gets around it is being incorporeal or being invisible IIRC.

I don't even think that gets around it. There's no discussion in the rules text about it being precision-based damage any more - all weapon damage gets the bonus, with nothing about conditions that negate it.

As far as I can tell, if you roll damage against your favored enemy, you get the bonus.

 

[frankthedm]

As far as I can tell, if you roll damage against your favored enemy, you get the bonus.

Here is why you don't.

Invisibility does not, by itself, make a creature immune to critical hits, but it does make the creature immune to extra damage from being a ranger’s favored enemy and from sneak attacks.

Incorporeal creatures are immune to critical hits, extra damage from being favored enemies, and from sneak attacks.

 

[nittanytbone]

Rangers get bonus damage against favored enemies because in 1E rangers got a bonus of 1 HP/level vs. pretty much all nasty humanoids (from kobolds to giants, yup!).

It has just translated through the editions to its current form. In 2E you had to select a specific foe.

 

[EyeontheMountain]

Of course the problem I always have is that the ranger may get a +6 or +8 bonus in interactions and damage against some broad kind of creature, but without know-whatever, how does he even know he is fighting his enemy?

IMC Rangers can make a trained roll using the +2/+whatever bonus on the appropriate Know skill.

To me that is a more puzzling problem.

 

[pawsplay]

It comes from experience. for instance, against skeletons, you know how to find opportunities for shattering blows, and how to swing to best shatter bones with force.

You may never have met an eldritch giant before, but you can extrapolate fighting techniques against them, and from your experience with giants in general, observe how they are the same or different from other types.

Any description of favored enemy damage as precision damage is an artifact of recycling 3.0 text. In 3.5, it virtually always applies. Invisibility should not prevent it. Incorporeality is a different case; I can't think of why it prevented it in the first place, so the same lack of rationale probably still applies.

 

[pawsplay]

Of course the problem I always have is that the ranger may get a +6 or +8 bonus in interactions and damage against some broad kind of creature, but without know-whatever, how does he even know he is fighting his enemy?

Presumably, he can deduce that fact by what he observes. A knowledge roll will tell you a lot, but not making one won't cause your brain to fall out of your head.