My ranger without spells

[gpetruc]

I've made a custom ranger class ... I know that there are a lot around, I've read many of those and many of them are really good, but I wanted something that fitted well my low magic world (the only spellcasters are alchemists and a varian bard, and both them have a skill-based spellcasting; magic is not exceptionally rare, but is far less spectacular and is a bit more "realistic").

I know that this ranger overlaps partly with the barbarian (but I will probably have very few barbarians in my world) and with the rogue (but the rogues of my world would probably focus no town jobs and not wilderness ones)
[note: I also have no monks, no druids and no clerics]

I've made this ranger less fighting intense (lower BAB and HD), with no TWF and no spellcasting (except skill-based animal friendship and speak with animals).

I tried to keep it versatile (can choose between favored terrain and enemy, and can choose most of the class features later on)

RANGER
HD: d8
BAB: as cleric
Saves: Fort, Ref good
Skill points: 6 /level
Class skills: as ranger
Spells: no
Two weapon fighting: no
Proficiencies: the ranger is proficient with all simple weapons and martial swords (including the falchion), axes and bows. He is also proficient in light armor and shields.

Lvl 1: Track, Favored enemy/terrain
Lvl 2: Fast Movement (+ 5ft)
Lvl 3: Favored enemy/terrain
Lvl 4:
Lvl 5: Favored enemy/terrain
Lvl 6:
Lvl 7: Special
Lvl 8: Favored enemy/terrain
Lvl 9:
Lvl 10: Special
Lvl 11: Favored enemy/terrain
Lvl 12:
Lvl 13: Special
Lvl 14: Favored enemy/terrain
Lvl 15:
Lvl 16: Special
Lvl 17: Favored enemy/terrain
Lvl 18:
Lvl 19: Special
Lvl 20: Favored enemy/terrain

Track: the ranger gets the track feat for free

Fast Movement: as barbarian

Favored enemy/terrain: the ranger chooses either one favored terrain (from table 9-5 on PHB) or one favored enemy (from the PHB ranger’s list). If he chooses a terrain he gets a +1 bonus to all Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Spot and Wilderness Lore checks in that terrain; he can select the same terrain multiple times up to a total of a +3 bonus. If he chooses an enemy he gets a +1 bonus to all Listen, Spot and Wilderness Lore checks against those enemies, a +1 to hit and either a +1 to damage or a +1 to AC against those enemies; he can select the same enemy multiple times up to a total +3 bonus, and he can subdivide the bonus between damage and AC as he likes, for example a +2 to AC and +1 to damage. The bonus to damage cannot be used against enemies that are immune to critical hits.

Special: the ranger can choose one of the following specials

* Communicate with animals: with a animal empathy check DC 30 the ranger can communicate with an animal (that must be of indifferent or better attitude) as per the speak with animals spell (but usually only at a very basic level because of the low intelligence of the animal). The ranger must have the “Superior animal empathy” special to be able to take this special

* Hardness: the ranger has become hardy and resistant to ordinary damage: he gains DR 1/-. This special can be taken twice for a total of DC 2/-

* Herb lore: the ranger can make Wilderness Lore checks instead of Profession(Herbalist checks) or Knowledge (Nature) checks for finding and using healing herbs, but with a -2 penalty to the check.

* Skill Mastery: choose two class skills. The ranger can take 10 in those skills even when it wouldn’t be possible otherwise due to distraction or hurry. This special can be taken any number of times

* Superior Empathy: if the ranger changes the attitude of an animal to Helpful (that is a DC 50 if it’s hostile, 40 if negative, 30 if indifferent and 20 if already friendly) this has the same effect of a animal friendship spell (except that the animal gets no save). The ranger is treated as spellcaster of level equal to his class level for this spell, and so can keep a total of his level in HD of animal friends when adventuring or double that number otherwise. Handing some food for the animal gives a +2 circumstance bonus to the check.

* Trailblazing: if the Ranger succeeds at a Wilderness Lore check (DC 15 +2 per person led), overland travel through trackless terrain is considered to be on a trail. See page 143, Table 9-5 in the PHB for details on overland travel. A new check must be made after resting and when new terrain is encountered, but a minimum of once per day.

* Uncanny dodge (Dex bonus to AC): as rogue.

* Woodland stride: the ranger can freely pass through dense foliage and other sorts of natural obstacles with no penalty to movement. Non natural obstacles such as planted hedges and magically treated foliage affect him as normal.

My main problems are if this class is not too overpowered, expecially with some specials selection.
I know that some specials are clearly less powerful than others (note that I have a skill based herbalism system that can provide some fair healing in a low magic system, so Herb Lore is probably not one of them), but are left there because some might want a more flavored ranger and not a more powerful one.
So, when pointing out balance issues please consider expecially if it can be too powerful with a munchkin selection of choices and not if some weird selection of those would make him a real dumb.
Only, if instead you feel that it is underpowered with every possible selection of specials and features, please point that out so that I could add something more.

I would really like to keep the HD to d10 (the ranger should be tough ), but I feared to make him too powerful;

One last thing: I'm not sure on what number of skills you should have with every Skill Mastery special; I wanted this to be a powerful special, but still not outshine the others.

 

[Witness]

I was going to post a scathing message about how this class is just made up of a bunch of Rogue and Barbarian special abilities thrown together, but then I went back and read the beginning where you admit that very thing.

How rare will Barbarian's be in your campaign? If players can choose them, I suggest you drop or change some of your Ranger's abilities. Trailblazing and Woodland Stride are more tthan good enough to represent the Ranger's improved mobility in the wild.

The Herb Lore ability is only ever useful if the Ranger would have taken ranks in that Profession. I suggest you drop it; 6 skill points is more than enough so that putting a few ranks in this skill won't be a problem.

Uncanny Dodge is actually several seperate abilities and should be broken up as such.

Also drop Skill Mastery as even a moderately intelligent Ranger can max out all the essential skills. Also, I think being the best at any single skill is something only Rogue's should be able to do.

For Superior Empathy, change the caster level to 1/2 level. Animal Companions have never been, and should not be, one of the Ranger's strongest, best abilities.

In general, the class is fairly well balanced,but I think it infringes a litle too much on the Rogue. Instead of the Rogue's extra skill points and Sneak attack, they get afew Wilderness-related powers. I suggest you take a look at the D20 Star Wars and Wheel of Time books for classes that fill a similar role.

Another thing to consider in your campaign setting is the availability of magic armor/weapons and healing magic. D&D is designed around the basic premise that characters can buy or make magical items and go to the local temple to get healing. If these things ae rare or not possible, class balance and a whole host of other factors, changge drastically. Check out the above mentioned D20 books for ideas on how to handle these tthings.

 

[gpetruc]

Some replies:

How rare will Barbarian's be in your campaign? If players can choose them, I suggest you drop or change some of your Ranger's abilities.

Well: the campaign is set in the renaissance, and all the players should come from civilized races. There are no orcs, and the hobgoblins (nearly the only) are civilized too; my elves, that have favored class ranger beacuse there are no wizards, are too gentle to go barbarian (-2 str, con, +2 dex, cha). Maior enemies will be other humans, and most of the fighting is finesse (such as in the "three musketeers" by Dumas). I've not banned the barbarian class, but it will still be very odd and probably used only by some NPC with a very particular backstory.
I also wanted to avoid the "I'll take one level of barbarian for increased movement and rage" when the character in question is not even slightly barbaric.

Uncanny Dodge is actually several seperate abilities and should be broken up as such

Actually while I feel that the ranger should be able to have uncanny dodge (the scout from SW d20 has it), I am a bit reluctant to add also the other uncanny dodges (flanking and trap bonuses) as I feel that these should be left to the rogue alone.

For Superior Empathy, change the caster level to 1/2 level. Animal Companions have never been, and should not be, one of the Ranger's strongest, best abilities.

I'm still not sure that without awaken, magic fang, and a true speak with animals the companions should be too dangerous.
Anyway I'll make that with one special you can have only 1/2, and with two specials the full level (I have no druids)

Also drop Skill Mastery as even a moderately intelligent Ranger can max out all the essential skills. Also, I think being the best at any single skill is something only Rogue's should be able to do.

Actually I put skill mastery in expecially because of SW d20 scout (that has it as a fixed ability). My idea was that the rangers should use it for Move Silently, Wilderness Lore, Animal Empathy and similar skills, that shouldn't enfringe the rogue too much (expecially town rogues).
I'll prohibit to take Search, Listen and Spot among the mastered skills, because actually those might hurt the rogue too much.

I've made also some minor changes: moved fast movement to lvl 4, added Endurance at lvl 2 (It's a feat that I have never seen anyone taking, so it should not be a big bonus), now Favored terrain gives bonus to Intuit Direction also, ...

Now for balance, compared to the standard ranger:
better saves, skills, some specials
worse bab, hp, no spells, no TWF

I'll playtest it a bit and see

The final beta version is available at
http://digilander.libero.it/gpetruc/crystaldawn/ranger.html
(If you want to check out also the other custom classes: http://digilander.libero.it/gpetruc/crystaldawn/classes.html )
---------------------------------------------------
About low magic:
healing magic should be moderatly available (alchemists get all spells up to heal, but at one level higher), and herbalism should compensate for low level healing. Magical armor and weapons should be available (but probably at a greater price, and not sume funky stuff such as vorpal and dancing); maybe I'd have to make some "superior mastercraft" items, but I'm not sure.
(Note that also the enemies are low magical)

I was wondering whether to use some features of SW d20 (namely the WP/VP and class bonus to defense) but I feel that the D&D system works well by its own, expecially because the weapons in D&D are much different from SW both in use (mostly melee) and in damage output (about one half).

 

[MissingDividends]

I like the way your ranger works...ive been trying to find some classes that fit my world (also in a "renaissance" like time-period)

I dont think that giving a d10 hd would make much of a power issue...i agree rangers should be tough

I would be interested in seeing some of your other classes...because as stated above im looking for some

 

[gpetruc]

I dont think that giving a d10 hd would make much of a power issue...i agree rangers should be tough

Ok. Then I'll try the d10; probably the lower BAB still balances it.

Other classes are:
alchemist: can cast most elemental spells, trasmutation and some cure; skill-based spellcasting, components required to cast spells
artist: variant bard with skill-based spellcasting (nearly only enchantment) and different arts with different spells/effect.
aristocrat: powered up aristocrat PC class with added bonus feats (every third level), leadership (and can take it more than once to have more followers) and landlord.
Fighter, Rogue and Barbarian are as standard PHB (but the Barbarian is extremely rare, only in some desolate fronteer areas).

 

[Khorod]

The ranger link in my sig has many similarities to yours, so you'll find lots of ideas and arguments about such things as Favored Terrain, Six skill points, and so on.

The thread isn't dead, just on hiatus...

 

[MissingDividends]

gpetruc, would you mind emailing me the full stats of your non-phb classes (if you have them typed)

my email is zsheph65@twcny.rr.com