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Message: <blockquote data-quote="RedGeomancer" data-source="post: 6774164" data-attributes="member: 6806260">Following is a rules proposal to make the ranger's Favored Enemy feature more useful and (hopefully) more fun. TL;DR Add damage bonus beginning at first level, and have affected creatures determined by favored terrain, rather than an independent selection of a creature type.Rules in this message, commentary and discussion in subsequent messages.Natural ExplorerYou are particularly familiar with one type of environment and are adept at traveling an surviving in such regions. Choose one type of favored terrain: arctic, coast, desert, forest, grassland, hills, mountain, or swamp. Your choice should be consistent with your background and other elements of your personal history and experience. When you make an Intelligence or Wisdom check related to your favored terrain, your proficiency bonus is doubled if you are using a skill that you're proficient in. Intelligence checks to recall information about creatures commonly encountered in your favored terrain are treated as related in this way. When you gain this feature, you also learn a language of your choice that is spoken by creatures commonly encountered in your favored terrain, or in some country or region of your favored terrain.When you are traveling for an hour or more in your favored terrain, you gain the following advantages: No changes to list from PH 91, list omitted.You choose additional favored terrain types at 6th and 10th level. Your choices should reflect the places you have dwelled or traveled in on your adventures. With your DM's approval, you may choose the Underdark, underwater, the Elemental Planes, or the Upper or Lower Planes as a favored terrain, if you have adventured in such regions. (For unusual backgrounds, your DM may allow these choices at 1st level as well.) You may delay your selection of your second favored terrain, but you must make a choice no later than when you attain 10th level. You may delay your selection of your third favored terrain, but you must make a choice no later than when you attain 15th level.Foe SlayerBeginning at 1st level, you are an uparalleled hunter of creatures who might threaten the lands that you care for. You add your Wisdom modifier to damage rolls against creatures commonly encountered in your favored terrain. You gain this benefit whenever and wherever you encounter such creatures. For example, if your favored terrain is swamp, you would gain the benefit in fighting a black dragon, even if you fought that black dragon in grassland or forest. You would not get that benefit against a green dragon (native to forests), even if you encountered it in a swamp.Undead and constructs are unnatural creatures which may be encountered anywhere, but are native to nowhere. You never gain this benefit against undead or constructs.You only gain this benefit against elemental creatures if you have the Elemental Planes as a favored terrain. You only gain this benefit against celestials or fiends if you have the Upper Planes (for celestials) or the Lower Planes (for fiends) as a favored terrain.This benefit never applies when you are fighting against your own race.Questions<ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">While creatures only have one creature type, many creatures are commonly found in multiple terrains. Does the proposal for terrain-based enemies sweep up too many creatures in each terrain? Is the exclusion of undead a sufficient offset? </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Is combining the Foe Slayer damage bonuses with larger enemy lists overpowered? </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Is there too much bookkeeping or ambiguity in determining favored enemy status based on terrain? </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Is it fun? Do you think players would rather be a "Hill Hunter" than a "Giant Slayer"? </li> </ol></blockquote>

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