New Ranger (not monte)

[Grommilus]

1 Track, 1st Favored Enemy
2 Bonus Feat
3 1st Favored Terrain
4 +5 to movement, Woodland Stride
5 2nd Favored Enemy, Bonus Feat
6 Trackless Step
7 Nature Sense
8 2nd Favored Terrain
9 Bonus Feat
10 3rd Favored Enemy
11 +5 to movement, Improved Woodland Stride
12 Improved Trackless Step
13 3rd Favored Terrain
14 Bonus Feat
15 4th Favored Enemy
16 Improved Nature Sense
17 Bonus Feat
18 4th Favored Terrain
19 Reposte
20 5th Favored Enemy

BAB as ranger, Saves as ranger, Spells as ranger, Skills, HD, all that isn't mentioned here except for special abilities remains the same.

Favored Enemy: At 1st level, a ranger may select a type of creature as a favored enemy. Due to his extensive study of his foes and training in the proper techniques for combating them, the ranger gains a +1 competence bonus to Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and WIlderness Lore checks when using these skills against this type of creature. Likewise, he gets the same bonus to weapon dmage rolls against creatures of this type, also with ranged weapons within 30 feet. At 5th level and at every five levels thereafter (10th, 15th, and 20th), the ranger may select a new favored enemy, and the bonuses associated with every previously selected favored enemy go up by +1.

Favored Enemies: Aberrations, Animals, Beasts, Constructs, Dragons, Elementals, Fey, Giants, Humaniod type, Magical beasts, Oozes, Outsider type, Plants, Shapechangers, Undead, Vermin. Other enemies may be available at the DM's discretion.

Favored Terrain: At 3rd level, a ranger may select a type of terrain as a favored terrain. Due to his extensive experience and training in this terrain, the ranger gains a +1 competence bonus to Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Spot, Wilderness Lore, and Intuit Direction skill checks. Also, the ranger gains a +1 dodge bonus to his AC when in this favored terrain. At 8th, 13th, and 18th levels, the ranger may select a new favored terrain, and the bonuses associated with every previously selected favored terrain go up by +1.

Favored Terrains: Aberrant (specific type of location, this would be a location with truly unusual features, like a volcanic basin, or a dry lake bed ) Aquatic, Artic, Desert, Forest, Hill, Jungle, Mountain, Plain, Swamp, Underground. Other terrains may be available at the DM’s discretion.

Bonus Feats: A ranger gains a free bonus feat at this level from the list below. However, unlike a fighter bonus feat, theses feats only function while the ranger is in light armor or less. Alertness, Ambidexterity, Blind-Fight, Blindsight 5 ft. radius[S&F], Combat Reflexs, Dodge (Mobility, Spring Attack), Endurance, Expertise (Improved Disarm, Improved Trip, Whirlwind Attack), Extra Favored Enemy[MotW], Favored Critical[MotW], Improved Initiative, Point Blank Shot (Far Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Sharp-shooting[S&F], Shot on the Run), Run, Shadow[MotW], Supernatural Blow[MotW], Two-Weapon Fighting (Off-hand Parry[MotW], Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Greater Two-Weapon Fighting[MotW]), Weapon Finesse.

Movement increases: a ranger adds this to his base speed while in light armor or less

Woodland Stride: A ranger may move unhindered through any favored terrain, despite any natural conditions. Magical or supernatural conditions still impede a range, however.

Improved Woodland Stride: A ranger may use Woodland Stride regardless of terrain.

Trackless Step: A ranger may choose not to leave a discernable trail when moving in one of his favored terrains. Any attempt to track the ranger has a -30 circumstance modifier to his Wilderness Lore check.

Improved Trackless Step: A ranger may use Trackless Step regardless of terrain.

Nature Sense: A ranger may identify any natural plant or animal that lives in one of the rangers favored terrain. He may also identify if things are poisoned or diseased, and find safe food sources.

Improved Nature Sense: A ranger may use Nature Sense regardless of terrain.

Reposte: Whenever a melee attacker misses the ranger, he may make an attack of opportunity at the attacker at -10. This ability is useable once per round.

Me and my budy Orion came up with this, without having seen Monte's Ranger

we were trying to kill the 1st level heavy load and give the ranger something to aspire to at higher level.

Grom

 

[Crothian]

So, you must have thought the Ranger was pretty weak to increase his abilities to such a level. This is just too powerful.

 

[uv23]

Way way way too powerful. Even if you got rid of his spell casting, he'd be too powerful.

 

[nathans]

I think it too strong of a class.

I would first remove Favored Enemy. I just do not like it. It is too dependent on the DM. As a DM I try to give rangers a 'head up' on whom my campaign might run into so they can choose a favored enemy that effective.

If you are set on giving the ranger more class abilities this I would drop spells.


I would limit the Movement increases to favored Terrain, or drop it.

I would drop Reposte.

I would drop the bonus feats or just give them at 5th, 10th and 15th levels.


Nathan

 

[Caliber]

There are more alt Rangers than actual regular classes, methinks.

I have to agree that your Ranger is defintely tipping the scale on the over-powered end.

And since everyone is posting thier version, heres mine.

Instead of TWF and Ambidexterity at 1st level, a Ranger can select a two-feat package. He will receieve the 1st feat in the package at 1st level and the 2nd one at 2nd.

Sample packages are:

TWF
Ambidexterity

Point Blank Shot
Rapid Shot

Endurance
Run

If a player can come up with some other appropriate package, I normally let them take it.

That change was to give Rangers a little more variety, without providing so many bonuses at 1st.

My other change deals with Favored Enemies.

Rangers receive 1 "Favored Enemy Point" at every odd level (1st, 3rd, 5th, etc...) This point can be spent to gain a +1 against any of the possible Favored Enemies of a traditional Ranger. Every additional point can either be used to pick a new Favored Enemy or to increase the bonus against an already selected one. At 20th the bonus against ALL Favored Enemies increases by +1.

Maybe you can use all of these alt Rangers to get a better sense of balance.

 

[Christian]

Hmmm. Is The Ranger Project still alive?

Yep, sure is. No activity in almost a year, though. Still a good resource-there are 25 alt.rangers archived. Surely you can find one you like there! Preferably mine, #6.

Now, if we could only get everyone to agree on one

 

[Grommilus]

before you decide it's too powerful, look at a fighter/barbarian/druid multiclass of similar level.. It would be basically identical to this ranger, except for the terrains and favored enimies, which i find rarely come into play, unless the DM has a one track mind. Plus, I prefer that most classes that combine other class' similiar features should be better than the whole, like how the paladin is a fighter/cleric but with better abilities, basically better bab and cooler special abilities.

And for your info, i do find the phb ranger to be increadably good for taking a few levels of, but increadly bad if stay in the class to high level, without prestigin.

 

[Crothian]

fighter barbarian druids suffer xp penalies. And if this can be done through multi classing, then why not due it that way? If your favored enemies opr terrain don't come in to play then you have a bad DM. Does the DM make it so the class abilities of other classes don't come into play? It shouldn't happen every week, but if it rarely happens then the DM is purposely hindering your character.

Edit: and it's still too powerful

 

[Grommilus]

well, if you keep druid and barb even, and fighter is your prefered, no exp penalty. as for the racial enemy and terrain, would a DM be doing badly if your racial enemy was goblins, which you fought while younger, but as you got older goblins just weren't too much of an enemy? as for the terrain, dnd characters tend to travel quite a bit, least in my games, cause it's fun to explore new places, so that bonus comes in rarely. Before knocking it, try it =) and try making a barb/druid fighter, or even a druid/fighter.

Grom

Edit: take a look at my ranger at 20, and a druid8/fighter 12. work with those proportions. druid/fighter gets 7 bonus feats, wildshape 3 times per day into large animals, Similar spell progression, 2 lower BAB, limit to leather armor (rangers usually wear it anywho), limited weapons (which if you give up the shapechange, i'd say you could give up the limited weapons and armor)
my ranger would have about 7 bonus feats considering his increased movement to be a feat for each 5 ft. the only thing he really gets is favored enemy and favored terrain, which as i said, aren't all that amazing.

 

[Jeremy Ackerman-Yost]

I'll toss my hat in here. I think this is somewhat less overpowered than Grom's, but has some skilled outdoorsman Ranger flavor to it. Thoughts?

1 Track, 1st Favored Enemy, Outdoorsman
2 Bonus Feat
3 +5 to movement
4 1st Favored Terrain
5 2nd Favored Enemy
6 Trackless Step
7 Bonus Feat
8 2nd Favored Terrain
9
10 3rd Favored Enemy, Woodland Stride
11 +5 to movement
12 3rd Favored Terrain, Bonus Feat
13
14
15 4th Favored Enemy
16 4th Favored Terrain
17 Bonus Feat
18
19
20 5th Favored Enemy, Master of the Wilds

BAB, Saves, Spells, Skills, HD, and Favored Enemy as PH

Favored Terrain: As described by Grom.

Bonus Feats: As described by Grom, but slightly fewer of them.

Outdoorsman: The ranger earns a bonus to his Wilderness Lore checks equal to his level/2 A ranger should be better at this than a barbarian, and more focused on it than a druid.

Movement increases: a ranger adds this to his base speed while in light armor or less. It does NOT stack with the increased movement speed of Barbarians or Monks. (Makes sense. A ranger should have this kind of ability, but due to focus and skill rather than the frenzy of the barbarian, or the pseudo-focus/metaphysics of the monk, so he builds it up over time)

Woodland Stride & Trackless Step: As described by Grom. Only functions on favored terrain. Did away with the Improved versions. Instead, at 20th level...

"Master of the Wilds" (or some less cheesy name) allows both of the above abilities to be used in any natural terrain with which the Ranger is familiar (DMs rule what is necessary to become familiar with a terrain). Or maybe with a Wilderness Lore check when being used in non-favored terrain? DC adjusted for how unusual it is for the character.