How does one play a beastmaster Ranger?

[Klaus]

Thank you, Klaus. [BTW, I love both your art and your always-helpful comments here on ENWorld.]

I go back and forth on the issue of realism in D&D. I'm as happy as anyone to handwave on most issues, but the idea of a bear climbing a rope or a ladder (a rope ladder is actually what I meant) just sticks in my craw. Still, I'm not the DM, so I guess if it ever comes up in my campaign I'll let him deal with it.

Glad to be of assistance.

If it helps, here are two pictures Google found for me:

Remember, these are wild bears, which are actually pretty good climbers.

 

[Prestidigitalis]

LOL. You win the thread, Klaus. Not just this one -- EVERY thread on the entire internet. I bow down to your winnitude.

And I retract any and all reservations about climbing bears. Now: do you have any pictures of climbing wolves?

 

[Klaus]

LOL. You win the thread, Klaus. Not just this one -- EVERY thread on the entire internet. I bow down to your winnitude.

And I retract any and all reservations about climbing bears. Now: do you have any pictures of climbing wolves?

Not a wolf, but close enough:

My advice would be to place the rope ladder, then grab the bottom end, walk back a square so the rope ladder stays at an angle, and let the wolf do the climbing. The angle will help it.

 

[Mort_Q]

As a kid, my dog would follow me up the ladder into my treehouse all the time.

The problem is, dogs can't go down ladders very well. Had to carry the beast down, which wasn't that easy.

 

[Hereticus]

How does one play a beastmaster Ranger?

I'm playing in a game currently where my character is mechanically a beastmaster hunter. So far, it appears that particular powers aside, the beast's role is mainly to provide flanking to its master.

Am I missing something, or is this essentially correct?

My recommendation is to break the expectation of what the standard thing to do is for a cookie-cut concept, and find an original personality and way of doing things for your character.

Find an original niche, and go for it!

 

[Lord Pendragon]

My recommendation is to break the expectation of what the standard thing to do is for a cookie-cut concept, and find an original personality and way of doing things for your character.

Find an original niche, and go for it!

This has nothing to do with concept. I have what is (IMHO) a very original and fun concept. However, there's a large difference between concept and mechanical effectiveness. I could come up with original character concepts all day, but that doesn't have anything to do with whether a character is effective in combat. This is what I was looking for, as 4e is still new to me, and I lack the rules mastery I had with previous editions.

I understand that others feel differently, but I've never felt that a great concept justified poor performance, nor that excellent performance justified a bland, uninteresting concept. I've always striven for both.

 

[Hereticus]

This has nothing to do with concept. I have what is (IMHO) a very original and fun concept. However, there's a large difference between concept and mechanical effectiveness. I could come up with original character concepts all day, but that doesn't have anything to do with whether a character is effective in combat. This is what I was looking for, as 4e is still new to me, and I lack the rules mastery I had with previous editions.

I understand that others feel differently, but I've never felt that a great concept justified poor performance, nor that excellent performance justified a bland, uninteresting concept. I've always striven for both.

I agree with you 100%, but I haven't run a 4.0 Ranger yet. The Ranger in my group specializes in archery.

My group generally has three rules:

1) Work with other characters.
2) Be interesting in what you do.
3) be effective in support of the party.

 

[Gargoyle]

The biggest advantage of my wife's beastmaster ranger's cat is that she can more easily designate her hunter's quarry.

from the compendium:

Beast Mastery also alters your Hunter’s Quarry class feature. When you use Hunter’s Quarry, your quarry can be either the enemy nearest to you that you can see or the enemy nearest to your beast companion that you can see.

She hangs back and uses predatory strike or fires arrows until she sees an opening to help the rogue flank, or until the cat is bloodied, and then goes melee.

It feels very "rangery", with the beast attacking, arrows flying, and dual wielding sword and dagger.

I'd say beast master is much better than the other two styles, and more fun.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

The biggest advantage of my wife's beastmaster ranger's cat is that she can more easily designate her hunter's quarry.

Oh, now that's interesting. Thanks for the tip!