Is the 3.5e Ranger yours?

[maddman75]

I think the 3.5E ranger is fine, even the spellcasting bit. IMO, unless you have spellcasting, there's just not that much left over to distinguish a ranger from a multiclassed fighter/barb, barb/rogue or fighter/rogue. No, the TWF thing doesn't really count.

For my ranger, I went close to 3.5, with d8s and extra skill points. Track at first level, then 'ranger abilities' split up into four tiers. I basically went with four paths.

- Hunter. Specializing in favored enemy bonuses, with more than just extra damage.

- Scout/tracker. Favored terrain abilties.

- Wilderness rogue. Some sneak attack, uncanny dodge, etc.

- Wilderness warrior. Collection of bonus feats to choose from. TWF, archery, mounted. Not as big as the fighter's list, but big enough.

Thus you can specialize in one aspect of rangerdom, or make yourself more versitile. Haven't had anyone play one yet - only one campaign since I came up with it.

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

take the Cosmopolitan feat from the FRCS.

There's some thing inherently wrong about taking a feat called "cosmoploitan" in order to get Survival... though it was the first thing that came to mind for me as well.

For the non-spell casting ranger crowd, why not merely multi-class into fighter or rogue before reaching the level at which spells become available?

 

[Tsyr]

There's some thing inherently wrong about taking a feat called "cosmoploitan" in order to get Survival... though it was the first thing that came to mind for me as well.

For the non-spell casting ranger crowd, why not merely multi-class into fighter or rogue before reaching the level at which spells become available?

That defeats the whole point of the class, though, if I'm just going to take it to get a skill and a feat.

 

[Mrs Shadowlight]

With 3.0 you got either a crappy fighter who was really good at hanging out in the forest or a crappy rogue who was good at fighting although still hung out in the forest a lot acquiring unhealthy obsessions with enemies. Pretty much you were just a place holder in the initiative line up until the DM mercifully gave you a specific (shall we say favored?) enemy only your crappy fighter/rogue could sniff out in the woods. Then you stood back and watched everyone else hack him to death while you thunked arrows into the surrounding trees or whacked yourself on the back of the head with either of your two weapons. --not that I'm bitter.

So now with 3.5e you can at least be adequate at both (and then suddenly a crappy spellcaster?). I think what really changed it for me was the Ranger's new special ability to hold his breath for infinitesimally longer than everyone else at 3rd level. Very helpful.

 

[Jack Daniel]

The class still ain't a ranger. They should have made it closer to a barbarian than a rogue. Do that and keep the druid spells, and you've got a ranger.

 

[Voadam]

spellless WoT woodsman is closer to me.

Rangers as is have a lot of world story issues that must be forced to get divine nature spellcasting.

I'd also prefer paladins with more divine power options and no spells.

 

[Steverooo]

Those of you with Wheel of Time and/or Midnight care to post some details of their Woodsman/Wildlander for those of us who don't have'm?

 

[Mercule]

Those of you with Wheel of Time and/or Midnight care to post some details of their Woodsman/Wildlander for those of us who don't have'm?

WoT, from memory, so no tables:

d10 HD
skills pretty much as 3.5
Good BAB
no spells
favored enemy becomes favored terrain, but you get fewer
no "combat path" type mechanic -- you get bonus feats (1/4? levels)
weapon specialization at 8th? level

 

[Desdichado]

WoT, from memory, so no tables:

d10 HD
skills pretty much as 3.5
Good BAB
no spells
favored enemy becomes favored terrain, but you get fewer
no "combat path" type mechanic -- you get bonus feats (1/4? levels)
weapon specialization at 8th? level

I think that's about right. Wildlander has d8 HD, fighter BAB (can't remember save progression off the top of my head; might be good Fort and Ref?) and most of the class abilities come from a fairly extensive a la carte menu, which includes a number of bonus feats, favored enemies, favored terrains, and all kinds of other options to build whatever the heck kind of ranger you want. Has 6 + INT bonus skill points and a fairly extensive skill list, similar to the WotC ranger.

 

[shadowlight]

...Then you stood back and watched everyone else hack him to death while you thunked arrows into the surrounding trees or whacked yourself on the back of the head with either of your two weapons. --not that I'm bitter....

ROTFL!!! (literally - quite embarassing at work!)