I got Races of the Wild, you got the questions

[Banshee16]

What are the catfolk like? Are they basically like the Rakasta from Mystara? Do they have natural attacks?

Banshee

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Is there a prestige class that approximates the 3.0 Deepwood Sniper? Is there one that focuses on Bowmanship?

The closest we have to an archer PrC here is the Whisperknive, but they are focussed on throwing daggers, who by the way can flank with thrown weapons.

There are some feats and substitution levels for archery, though. And the deepwood sniper is still good...

 

[Kae'Yoss]

What are the catfolk like? Are they basically like the Rakasta from Mystara? Do they have natural attacks?

I don't know the Rakasta from Mystara, so I can't tell you that.

They have no natural attacks, though.

Catfolk are quick and quite agile, stealthy, have good ears, a tough hide and surprisingly, get a charisma bonus. They're said to accomplish most tasks in quick bursts of energy.

 

[Stone Angel]

Are the elven sub-races included in detail, drow, avariel, aquatic?


The Seraph of Earth and Stone

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Assuming they haven't changed from the Miniatures Handbook, catfolk are much more feral than the Rakasta, who were quite civilized, depending on the local culture.

 

[Remathilis]

Catfolk are from Mini HB, they are great thieves/rangers.

For those who haven't figured it out, racial subs have three types

Favored Class (if applicable)
Iconic Class (A class that fits their abilities and temperment)
Poor Choice (This race is rarely this class because of ability or temperment)

Dwarf: Fighter (Fav) Cleric (Icon), Sorcerer (Poor)
Gnome: Bard (Fav), Illusionist (Icon), Ranger (poor)
Half-Elf: Bard/Ranger (Iconics, no FC), Fighter (Poor)
Half-Orc: Barbarian (Fav), Druid (Icon), Paladin (poor)
Goliath: Barbarian (Fav) Druid (Icon), Rogue (poor)
Elf: Wizard (Fav), Ranger (Icon), Paladin (poor)
Halfling: Rogue (Fav) ? ?
Raptoran: Cleric (Fav) ? ?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Gnomes make bad rangers? I always thought that was a very natural fit for them.

 

[Milkman Dan]

Ruathar (elf-friend/star-friend: character who did the elves a great service and receives elven blessings. Only 3 levels)
Wildrunner (elf or half-elf completely embracing nature, becomes fey in the end)

I am quite interested in the prereqs of those two, and a general overview of the abilities. Recently in our campaign, our group rendered a great service to elves... so I'm wondering if Ruathar really is suited to many different classes, as I've heard.

Our DM is also looking into an elven-focused PrC that is nature-related, so I know he'd be interested in hearing about Wildrunner.

 

[ohGr]

That would kinda nerf one of the important abilities of the druid or ranger. IMHO as a general design principle it's not a good idea to make feats open to anyone out of class abilities as it reduces the significance of that ability to the class.

Maybe i just find it annoying and a tad ridiculous that if i want to play a character with a powerful, kick-ass animal buddy, i have to play a shapeshifting spellcaster. (No, rangers, with only half their level adding to the animal companion, don't count here; it simply isn't a big enough boost to make the companion viable as anything more than a scout.) Sure, PrCs can help a bit here, but every single one, except the Beastmaster, requires you have an animal companion beforehand. But then again, i don't see animal companions as some important, class-defining ability for either the druid or ranger; both have such a host of abilities that animal companions are little more than an add-on.

Besides, anyone can invest ranks in Handle Animal, so you can have a pet if you want one already.

Sure, if you don't mind watching weeks of hard work go down the drain when you're animal friend bites it in his first combat; normal animals are simply too weak to survive high level combat. I once had a fighter focused on mounted combat who went through over a dozen warhorses by the time he hit 6th level.

This is kind of a sore point for me right now, though; i guess i'm just frustrated. I've spent the last couple weeks trying to make a barbaric, dino-riding halfling build for an Eberron campaign, and it just isn't coming together.

 

[Pevishan]

Re:

I know they had a feat on the Wizards site that gave someone an animal companion-like bond to an animal...

At least, it was better than Handle animal.