Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="gpetruc" data-source="post: 596353" data-attributes="member: 2255">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)RANGERHD: d8BAB: as clericSaves: Fort, Ref goodSkill points: 6 /levelClass skills: as rangerSpells: noTwo weapon fighting: noProficiencies: 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/terrainLvl 2: Fast Movement (+ 5ft)Lvl 3: Favored enemy/terrainLvl 4:Lvl 5: Favored enemy/terrainLvl 6: Lvl 7: SpecialLvl 8: Favored enemy/terrainLvl 9:Lvl 10: SpecialLvl 11: Favored enemy/terrainLvl 12: Lvl 13: SpecialLvl 14: Favored enemy/terrainLvl 15: Lvl 16: SpecialLvl 17: Favored enemy/terrainLvl 18: Lvl 19: SpecialLvl 20: Favored enemy/terrainTrack: the ranger gets the track feat for freeFast Movement: as barbarianFavored 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.</blockquote>

Verification