Ideas for rangers in urban settings

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

Ok -- we've debated ad infinitum the ranger's relative strengths and weaknesses. And about the only consensus is that it can be difficult to keep a ranger fat and happy in a campaign that doesn't include some regular trips to the great out of doors. Not that I'm saying rangers can't succeed anywhere, just that urban-intensive settings can be a challange.

So, let's kick it around a bit, and see what good plot hooks and other ideas we can come up with. Especially useful, I think, would be short sub-plots and such that could be integrated into an urban campaign that would let the ranger get a little glory from time to time without having to take away from the main storyline.

 

[Sejs]

Bounty Hunter. Both the PHB and Monte versions work out wonderfully in this role, particularly if your DM will toss out the (in my oppinion) frickin' silly idea that you have to be evil to take your own race as a favored enemy.

 

[LostSoul]

The Ranger is a great class in urban settings. Hide, Spot, Search, Move Silently, Listen; all these skills are great. See if you can convince your DM to alter Wilderness Lore slightly so that it's Urban Lore (same skill, just for the urban jungle: "Use this skill to hunt rich merchants, guide a party safely through the bad part of town, identify signs that an assasin's guild controls these city blocks, or avoid illness and disease and other urban hazards.").

Take one of the standard races as your favoured enemy (Human/Dwarf/Elf/Halfling). Those bonuses will sure come in handy.

The Ranger's spell list is pretty handy in urban settings.

Alarm: Sneaking into my house, are you?
Animal Friendship: Who would threaten you when they know you keep a pack of attack dogs nearby at all times?
Delay Poison: Save the king's life!
Pass w/o Trace: Try and follow me to the secret hideout, will you?
Speak with Animals: Who would suspect that street cat/rat/pigeon of being a spy?

Animal Messenger: Nice to keep in touch with your allies no matter where you are (there's a rat in every house).
Snare: Traps are always nice. And sometimes you might even want to take them alive.
Speak with Plants: Who would suspect that fern in the King's council chamber of being a spy?

Control Plants: As Speak with Plants, but better.
Neutralize Poison: Never fear poisoned food and drink again.
Remove Disease: Always a bonus in the slums.

You get the idea.

All this together makes the Ranger a great Bounty Hunter, Spy, Bodyguard, you name it. Mix in levels of Rogue for some social skills, and you're off to the races.

 

[Nifft]

Give the Ranger some way to add Gather Information to his skill list, and add another skill -- Urban Tracking -- which acts like Wilderness Lore, but gets synergy bonus from Gather Information: "Which way did they go? Thanks!"

Sense Motive might make sense here, too.

Hmm, this is sounding very much like a Ranger/Rogue.

-- Nifft

 

[Crothian]

There's the alt version in MotW. Few changes, but it does give it a much better urban feel.

 

[Dr_Rictus]

add another skill -- Urban Tracking -- which acts like Wilderness Lore, but gets synergy bonus from Gather Information: "Which way did they go? Thanks!"

No, whatever you do, don't add a new skill. It's far too narrow an application for a skill, and any new skill devalues the skill point. 99.44% mistake any time anyone does it. Don't do it.

In this case, for example, why not just have feat analogous to track that lets the character use his Gather Information check this way, just as Track adds a new use for Wilderness lore? And that's just off the top of my head.

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

Remember, "urban" doesn't neccessarily mean "civilized". Some cities (such as those of Urbis, plug, plug ) have neighborhoods that are as wild and lawless as remote forests - and they are often far more dangerous!

Thus, rangers definietly can be a part of the urban ecology...

In the end, I'd say it is less the presence or absence of nature that is important to the ranger - nature is pretty much everywhere except for places like the Negative Energy Plane. Instead, the ranger comes into his own at the absence of civilization. He thrives where there is no law to protect people - where everyone must know how to survive on his own.

And that sounds like a fairly accurate descriptions of some slum areas...