Cheiromancer
Adventurer
Ok. Basically I have a problem with the classification of Ranger favored enemies. How is it possible that griffons and hydras have more in common than humans and elves?
Here's the basic data about the Ranger's favored enemy. It includes the material from the SRD, a paraphrased version of the Extra Favored Enemy feat (based on the Ghostwalk 3.5 conversion document) and also the game mechanics of the Arcane Hunter alternative class feature from Complete Mage.
[sblock]Favored Enemy (Ex)
At 1st level, a ranger may select a type of creature from among those given on Table: Ranger Favored Enemies. The ranger gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against creatures of this type. Likewise, he gets a +2 bonus on weapon damage rolls against such creatures.
At 5th level and every five levels thereafter (10th, 15th, and 20th level), the ranger may select an additional favored enemy from those given on the table. In addition, at each such interval, the bonus against any one favored enemy (including the one just selected, if so desired) increases by 2.
If the ranger chooses humanoids or outsiders as a favored enemy, he must also choose an associated subtype, as indicated on the table. If a specific creature falls into more than one category of favored enemy, the ranger’s bonuses do not stack; he simply uses whichever bonus is higher.
From the SRD section on variant character classes- the result may be generalized to non-urban rangers:
At the game master's discretion, an urban ranger may select an organization instead of a creature type as his favored enemy. For example, a character might select a particular thieves' guild, merchant house, or even the city guard. The favored enemy bonuses would apply to all members of the chosen organization, regardless of their creature type or subtype.
Extra Favored Enemy [General]
Prerequisites: BAB +5, at least one favored enemy.
You select an additional favored enemy.
Benefit: You add an extra favored enemy to your list (see Table 3-14 in the Player's Handbook) beyond your normal allotment. Initially, you gain the standard +2 bonus on damage and the usual skill checks against this new favored enemy. When you use this feat to gain a new favored enemy, you get only a +2 bonus against that enemy. You do not get the extra +2 bonus (which can be allocated anywhere) that you would get for gaining a new favored enemy by level increase.
Special: You may take this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take this feat, choose a new Favored Enemy from the list.
Arcane Hunter
Class: Ranger
Level: 1st.
Special Requirement: Knowledge (arcana) 1 rank.
Replaces: At 1st level you do not select a favored enemy from Table 3-14 in the Player's Handbook. At 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th level you can choose favored enemies as normal.
Benefit: At 1st level you gain favored enemy (arcanists). This feature works just like the favored enemy ability. The bonuses granted apply to any character capable of casting arcane spells or using invocations (but not other spell-like abilities).[/sblock]
I don't know why they didn't just add "arcanist" to the favored enemy list. Why not be able to take Arcane Hunter at some time other than 1st level? What's the big deal about 1 rank of Knowledge (arcana)?
Anyway, suppose that we make a Divine Hunter alternative class feature (prerequisite: Knowledge (relgion) 1 rank)... better yet, make "divine spellcaster" a type of favored enemy. (Is there a one word synonym for "divine spellcaster", analogous to "arcanist"?). What other categories might comprise opponents with enough in common that their members could be treated as equivalent for the purpose of favored enemy?
I was thinking that perhaps the possession of Sneak Attack/Sudden Strike might serve as defining feature. Perhaps the type of armor an enemy is wearing. I would make it a subtype of "humanoid form" however (two arms, two legs, a head, bipedal)... and maybe distinguish between creatures subject to critical hits and those who aren't. A human wearing full plate would require different tactics to dispatch than a vampire wearing full plate, wouldn't he?
Another classification of favored enemy might be based on the possession of damage reduction. There might be something metaphysically or physically common to creatures with DR /silver or DR /slashing that rangers could use to exploit.
And if metaphysical distinctions are important, the possession of an aligned subtype (good, evil, lawful, chaotic) might also be a sufficient criterion. I'm half-tempted to make the size of the bonus dependent on the strength of the creature's aura (faint, moderate, strong, overwhelming).
Ah, yeah. The size of bonuses. A 20th level ranger with Arcane Hunter could get a +10 bonus against a 20th level wizard; that makes sense. But should he also get +10 against a Sor1/Fighter 19?
How about rangers who want to hunt griffons and hydras? I don't know about that. Any classification that lumps them together would lump all humanoids together. (And most monstrous humanoids and giants to boot). Either you pick one species (maybe changeable from day to day) or else you have to choose some other commonality (DR /magic, say). I don't know.
I think it would be more coherent if there were different varieties of ranger. One based on classes, another on types of DR possessed, a third on aligned subtypes, a fourth on fighting non-humanoids (using "inspiration points" to change specialties on the fly), and so on. If you were a DR ranger, it might not make sense for you to have the skill bonuses like Bluff or Sense Motive- what exactly would be the psychological commonalities of demons and fey? Of lycanthropes and devils?
Anyway, I was wondering if anyone else had thought along these lines.
Here's the basic data about the Ranger's favored enemy. It includes the material from the SRD, a paraphrased version of the Extra Favored Enemy feat (based on the Ghostwalk 3.5 conversion document) and also the game mechanics of the Arcane Hunter alternative class feature from Complete Mage.
[sblock]Favored Enemy (Ex)
At 1st level, a ranger may select a type of creature from among those given on Table: Ranger Favored Enemies. The ranger gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against creatures of this type. Likewise, he gets a +2 bonus on weapon damage rolls against such creatures.
At 5th level and every five levels thereafter (10th, 15th, and 20th level), the ranger may select an additional favored enemy from those given on the table. In addition, at each such interval, the bonus against any one favored enemy (including the one just selected, if so desired) increases by 2.
If the ranger chooses humanoids or outsiders as a favored enemy, he must also choose an associated subtype, as indicated on the table. If a specific creature falls into more than one category of favored enemy, the ranger’s bonuses do not stack; he simply uses whichever bonus is higher.
Code:
(Type) (subtype) Type (subtype)
Aberration Humanoid (reptilian)
Animal Magical beast
Construct Monstrous Humanoid
Dragon Ooze
Elemental Outsider (air)
Fey Outsider (chaotic)
Giant Outsider (earth)
Humanoid (aquatic) Outsider (evil)
Humanoid (dwarf) Outsider (fire)
Humanoid (elf) Outsider (good)
Humanoid (goblinoid) Outsider (lawful)
Humanoid (gnoll) Outsider (native)
Humanoid (gnome) Outsider (water)
Humanoid (halfling) Plant
Humanoid (human) Undead
Humanoid (orc) VerminAt the game master's discretion, an urban ranger may select an organization instead of a creature type as his favored enemy. For example, a character might select a particular thieves' guild, merchant house, or even the city guard. The favored enemy bonuses would apply to all members of the chosen organization, regardless of their creature type or subtype.
Extra Favored Enemy [General]
Prerequisites: BAB +5, at least one favored enemy.
You select an additional favored enemy.
Benefit: You add an extra favored enemy to your list (see Table 3-14 in the Player's Handbook) beyond your normal allotment. Initially, you gain the standard +2 bonus on damage and the usual skill checks against this new favored enemy. When you use this feat to gain a new favored enemy, you get only a +2 bonus against that enemy. You do not get the extra +2 bonus (which can be allocated anywhere) that you would get for gaining a new favored enemy by level increase.
Special: You may take this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take this feat, choose a new Favored Enemy from the list.
Arcane Hunter
Class: Ranger
Level: 1st.
Special Requirement: Knowledge (arcana) 1 rank.
Replaces: At 1st level you do not select a favored enemy from Table 3-14 in the Player's Handbook. At 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th level you can choose favored enemies as normal.
Benefit: At 1st level you gain favored enemy (arcanists). This feature works just like the favored enemy ability. The bonuses granted apply to any character capable of casting arcane spells or using invocations (but not other spell-like abilities).[/sblock]
I don't know why they didn't just add "arcanist" to the favored enemy list. Why not be able to take Arcane Hunter at some time other than 1st level? What's the big deal about 1 rank of Knowledge (arcana)?
Anyway, suppose that we make a Divine Hunter alternative class feature (prerequisite: Knowledge (relgion) 1 rank)... better yet, make "divine spellcaster" a type of favored enemy. (Is there a one word synonym for "divine spellcaster", analogous to "arcanist"?). What other categories might comprise opponents with enough in common that their members could be treated as equivalent for the purpose of favored enemy?
I was thinking that perhaps the possession of Sneak Attack/Sudden Strike might serve as defining feature. Perhaps the type of armor an enemy is wearing. I would make it a subtype of "humanoid form" however (two arms, two legs, a head, bipedal)... and maybe distinguish between creatures subject to critical hits and those who aren't. A human wearing full plate would require different tactics to dispatch than a vampire wearing full plate, wouldn't he?
Another classification of favored enemy might be based on the possession of damage reduction. There might be something metaphysically or physically common to creatures with DR /silver or DR /slashing that rangers could use to exploit.
And if metaphysical distinctions are important, the possession of an aligned subtype (good, evil, lawful, chaotic) might also be a sufficient criterion. I'm half-tempted to make the size of the bonus dependent on the strength of the creature's aura (faint, moderate, strong, overwhelming).
Ah, yeah. The size of bonuses. A 20th level ranger with Arcane Hunter could get a +10 bonus against a 20th level wizard; that makes sense. But should he also get +10 against a Sor1/Fighter 19?
How about rangers who want to hunt griffons and hydras? I don't know about that. Any classification that lumps them together would lump all humanoids together. (And most monstrous humanoids and giants to boot). Either you pick one species (maybe changeable from day to day) or else you have to choose some other commonality (DR /magic, say). I don't know.
I think it would be more coherent if there were different varieties of ranger. One based on classes, another on types of DR possessed, a third on aligned subtypes, a fourth on fighting non-humanoids (using "inspiration points" to change specialties on the fly), and so on. If you were a DR ranger, it might not make sense for you to have the skill bonuses like Bluff or Sense Motive- what exactly would be the psychological commonalities of demons and fey? Of lycanthropes and devils?
Anyway, I was wondering if anyone else had thought along these lines.
