I hear Rangers suck. Is this true?

[Nebin]

Never on the first date

 

[hong]

Never on the first date

Speaking from experience, Nebin?


Hong "does Soveliss agree?" Ooi

 

[omedon]

I must have playoff fever.

I thought that this was a Hockey thread too.

 

[Frostmarrow]

Um, just wanted to bring this up...can't you quick draw as many times as you want per round? Thus drawing two weapons in the same round for TWF would have no such penalty, nor would throwing weapons using multiple attacks (you would need quickdraw to throw daggers/throwing axes/shuriken etc. more than once a round).

From the SRD:

Quick Draw [General]
Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +1 or higher.
Benefit: The character can draw a weapon as a free action instead of as a move-equivalent action.

It boils down to how many free actions per round you get. The DM can allow you to do more than one free action if it's reasonable. Such as shouting orders and drawing a weapon at the same time (two free actions).

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I remembered a further rule in regard to drawing weapons, and finally, I found it: p128, a note to "Draw a Weapon":

If you have a base attack bonus of +1 or higher, you can combine one of these actions (in this case Draw) with a regular move.If you have the Two-Weapon Fighting Feat, you can draww two light or one-handed weapons in the time it would normally take you to draw one.

This means a Ranger needs a maximum of a move action to draw his two weapons, with Quickdraw he will only need one Free Action...

Mustrum Ridcully

 

[Voadam]

FrostMarrow

But Dundee never uses two weapons I laughed when I saw you used him as your ranger exemplar but he does work well and I agree your points are valid. From a game balance perspective the core ranger abilities should be applicable to most game environments (as most other classes abilities are) and the ranger and WoT woodsman are niche dependant. It would be much better if the favored enemey and favored terrain were options so a ranger could choose to be general or niche depending on player development choices. I like the idea of environmental toughness or skill focus: hiding, wilderness lore, listen, etc. as ranger ability options as well.

I still think eskimo rangers should be able to get broad based arctic only bonuses. Since he can still hide, when he hides in the dungeon he can still do it well just like a fighter attacking with a nonspecialized weapon can still do attacks well, just not as well as with "his" weapon. Of course a fighter takes his weapon with him.

 

[Suldulin]

the BeastMaster(the newer series at least, don't remember the old one) may be a good example of a Ranger... two weapon fighting(though he does sometimes use a double weapon but that seems to be a common houserule anyway(and has switched to a two handed weapon lately it seems)), animal companions, and even some hints of some "spells"

 

[Plane Sailing]

Psyduck,

Just in case it got lost in my earlier, long post I'd just like to reiterate.

A 10th level ranger can forget animal friendship and just use his Animal Handling skill to get a trained Dire Bear - he could have raised one from a cub by taking 10 on his check if he maxed it out as a skill.

Don't overlook animal handling!

 

[billd91]

I count 15. 1+2+3+4+5.

UGH! That'll teach me to re-read my posts AND check my math.

So, I'll have brainstorm a way to distribute the bonuses in a different way.
Sheesh. Where is my brain...