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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Kerrick" data-source="post: 5038851" data-attributes="member: 4722">Okay, third version. I buffed up the stealth abilities quite a bit (now they're worth the levels at which they appear, IMO), adjusted a couple of the FT abilities and added a couple new ones, added a couple Bow Mastery abilities, re-added evasion (I found a place for it), and revised Hunter's Strike to conform to First Strike.After some thought, I decided to move favored terrain to 4th level and every 4 after that. I was going to stick with my original plan because there are only 8 terrains, and getting 4 at non-epic and 4 at epic was a nice balance. One thing nagged at me, though - that damn empty 12th level. Then I had an idea: planar terrains. The Horizon Walker uses them; why not the ranger? Planar terrains would be a good ability for the legendary (epic) ranger, and would let me have 5 terrains at non-epic. I bumped it up to 4th on the thought that you have to spend a month in the terrain, and it IS a semi-advanced ability, and making them every 4 levels let me fill that 12th-level slot. And it makes 1st level not so loaded down.I didn't list the Aspect of the beast abilities to save space - they're still in. I did change the Eagle to be usable for 1 round/level each time, with a 1-hour cooldown (eyestrain), but the others are still the same.1st: 1st favored enemy, Track, wild empathy2nd: Hunter's strike, Endurance, fast movement3rd: Bow mastery I4th: Animal companion, aspect of the beast, 1st favored terrain5th: One with nature, 2nd FE6th: HS +2d67th: Bow mastery II8th: Evasion, 2nd favored terrain9th: Aspect of the beast10th: 3rd FE11th: Swift tracker, bow mastery III12th: 3rd favored terrain13th: Aspect of the beast14th: Camouflage, HS +4d615th: Bow mastery IV, 4th FE16th: 4th favored terrain17th: Hide in plain sight18th: HS +5d619th: Bow mastery V, aspect of the beast20th: Chameleon, 5th FE, 5th favored terrain  Favored Terrain: At 4th level, a ranger can select a terrain type from among the following: aquatic, desert, forest, hills, marsh, mountains, plains, and underground. He has spent so much time living in and attuning himself to the environment around her that he feels at home there.  Due to the ranger's experience in that environment, he gains a +2 bonus on Perception, Stealth, and Survival checks when using those skills in that environment, and on Knowledge (nature) checks made in association with that terrain type (or on Knowledge (dungeoneering) checks, if he has selected Underground as a favored terrain). Each terrain type grants additional bonuses based on that terrain (see below), which can generally be used anywhere.  At 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th levels, the ranger can select an additional favored terrain; the bonuses given above apply to the new terrain, while he gains a further +1 to any terrains he already has. For example, a 5th-level ranger has two favored environments - one grants a +3 bonus on the appropriate skill checks, and the other grants a +2 bonus. At 10th level, he has three favored environments; one has a +4 bonus, one at +3, and one at +2. In order to gain a new terrain type, he must have spent at least a month (total, not necessarily all at once) in the terrain, getting acclimated to it and learning the ecology.  At 11th level, the ranger gains access to the advanced abilities. Each time he gains a new favored terrain, he can select one he already has to gain its advanced ability. For example, a ranger who has Forest and Desert reaches 11th level. He selects Plains as his new favored terrain and can also choose the advanced ability for Forest or Desert.  Aquatic: The ranger is at home in the water, either rivers, lakes, or the ocean. Most rangers who choose this terrain type are aquatic species – locathah, triton, etc. – but many landbound rangers who spend a lot of time on or near the water (on the shore or islands, e.g.) choose it also. A ranger with the aquatic favored terrain gains a +6 competence bonus to Swim checks; if he has a Swim speed, it is increased by 10 feet.  Advanced ability: The ranger can breathe underwater at will, though transitioning from air to water or vice versa requires a full minute to acclimate, during which he can take only a single move or standard action each round. He is not in danger of drowning during this time; he merely needs to adjust to breathing water or air.  Desert: The ranger is at home in a desert environment. He is resistant to extremes of heat and is not fatigued by extremely high temperatures (up to 140 F). He is also immune to the nonlethal effects of sandstorms (choking, being blinded, etc.).  Advanced ability: Once per day, the ranger can call up a dust storm to obscure his location, sweep away tracks, or confound enemies. This requires a full round of concentration; the storm covers an area 100 feet in radius. The ranger can have it centered on himself (in which case it remains mobile) or centered on a set point (it doesn't move), or set to move in a certain direction in a straight line. The storm acts as a fog cloud, except that anyone caught in it must also make a DC 15 Fort save each round or suffer 1d4 points of nonlethal damage from the choking sand and dust (creatures that don't breathe are immune to this effect). If the storm is set to move in a certain direction, it moves at a speed of 50 feet per round, sweeping away all tracks in its path and incurring a -20 penalty to Track rolls in that area. In any case, the storm lasts for 1 round per class level.  Forest: The ranger has spent a good deal of time in the forest (or jungle). He has learned how to camouflage himself and is a competent hunter; he gains a +4 competence bonus to Stealth checks and can move through trees (brachiation) at his normal speed.Advanced ability: ???  Hills/Mountains: The ranger is attuned to the high peaks and unforgiving weather of the mountains. He is resistant to extremes of cold (down to -20 F) and does not take nonlethal damage from cold; he need make Fort saves to avoid fatigue only once per hour. He also gains a +4 competence bonus on Climb checks, or a 10-foot bonus to climb speed if he has one.  Advanced ability: Once per day, the ranger can call up a blizzard to obscure his location, sweep away tracks, or confound enemies. This requires a full round of concentration; the storm covers an area 100 feet in radius. The ranger can have it centered on himself (in which case it remains mobile) or centered on a set point (it doesn't move), or set to move in a certain direction in a straight line. The storm acts as a fog cloud, except that anyone caught in it must also make a DC 15 Fort save each round or suffer 1d4 points of nonlethal cold damage. If the storm is set to move in a certain direction, it moves at a speed of 50 feet per round, sweeping away all tracks in its path and incurring a -20 penalty to Track rolls in that area. In any case, the storm lasts for 1 round per class level.  Marsh: The ranger is at home among the dangerous plants and creatures of the swamps and bayous. He gains a +4 resistance bonus on saves vs. disease and poison, and a +4 competence bonus to Swim checks.  Advanced ability: The ranger gains some of the poisonous ability of the marsh's inhabitants. Three times per day, he can spit poison to a range of 10 feet. This requires a ranged touch attack to hit; a creature affected must make a Fort save (DC 10 + 1/2 ranger's class level + Wis mod) or become poisoned. The poison is a moderate neurotoxin that deals 1d4 points of Con damage as an initial and secondary effect.  Plains: The ranger is at home among the rolling grasslands, prairie, or tundra, and is accustomed to running for long distances in the open. He gains the Run feats for free, and gains a +4 bonus to Perception checks to spot things.  Advanced ability: ???  Underground: The ranger is accustomed to the close, dark spaces of caves and tunnels. He can make a DC 10 Survival check to determine how far underground he is, and which direction is true north (if he has 5 or more ranks in Survival, he doesn't need to make a check). He also gains a +4 bonus to Knowledge (dungeoneering) checks.  Advanced ability: The ranger can use sound, scent, and differences in air pressure to navigate blindly. In effect, he can move at normal speed in darkness or when blinded, and creatures with concealment gain only half their normal AC bonus (+1 for partial concealment or +2 for total) against the ranger's attacks.  Hunter's Strike (Ex): If a ranger makes a ranged attack on a flat-footed opponent within 30 feet and it hits, it deals an additional +1d6 points of sneak attack damage. This applies to the first attack only, and cannot be used in combat, but it can be used in conjunction with any of the Bow Mastery abilities. The bonus damage increases to +2d6 at 6th level, +3d6 at 10th, +4d6 at 14th, and +5d6 at 18th.  One With Nature (Ex): A ranger can move through any sort of undergrowth or difficult terrain (natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, soft sand, scree, etc.) at his normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. Thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated to impede motion still affect him, however.  If he is in his favored terrain, he also leaves no trail (making him impossible to track). He can choose to leave a trail if he wishes.  Bow Mastery (Ex): A ranger is trained in the bow as a primary weapon; at 3rd level and every five levels thereafter, he gains a number of abilities that reflect this training. The benefits of these feats or abilities can be used only if the ranger is wearing medium or lighter armor and using a bow. At each level of mastery, the ranger can choose a ranged weapon feat for which he qualifies as a bonus feat, or he can choose from among the abilities below. If the ability has prerequisites, the ranger must meet them to choose it.  Combat Archery: The ranger is experienced enough with his bow that he can use it in combat without provoking attacks of opportunity. Prerequisites: Prerequisites: Point Blank Shot, base attack bonus +12.  Hindering Shot: The ranger aims for the target's legs, slowing it. A hit that deals damage reduces the target's speed by 5 feet for 1 round. If the shot is a critical hit, it slow the target for 2 rounds. Multiple hits are cumulative - that is, each hit decreases the target's speed by 5 feet (to a minimum of 1/4 the original speed) and the duration by 1 round (no limit). Prerequisites: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot.  Penetrating Shot: When making an attack with a bow, the ranger can bypass 5 points of a target's DR or an object's hardness. This stacks with the bow's enhancement bonus or any effects gained from class abilities or materials like adamantine arrows. Prerequisites: Point Blank Shot, Power Shot, base attack bonus +10.  Power Shot: A ranger's shots are so powerful that he can literally knock targets off their feet. If the shot hits, treat it as an opposed trip maneuver check. The target must make an opposed Strength check (DC = damage) or be knocked prone. It can rise normally on the next round. Creatures that are resistant to being tripped gain their bonus against this effect as well. Prerequisites: Point Blank Shot, base attack bonus +4.  Sniper Shot: The ranger can make a single shot as a standard action, with a +4 bonus. If the shot hits, it's an automatical critical hit. If the ranger has sneak attack or a similar ability, he can also add this damage if it applies. Prerequisites: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, base attack bonus +6.  Killing Shot: The ranger can make a single shot as a standard action, with a +4 bonus. If the shot hits and the target fails a Fort save (DC 10 + damage dealt), it is reduced to -1 hit points. Prerequisites: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Sniper Shot, Improved Precise Shot, base attack bonus +16.  Camouflage: A ranger can use the Stealth skill to hide in any sort of natural terrain, even if the terrain doesn't grant cover or concealment. He can move up to his normal speed and remain hidden without penalty, and can make a ranged attack and hide again with a -10 penalty instead of -20 (see the Stealth skill).  Hide in Plain Sight (Ex): While in any sort of natural terrain, a ranger of 17th level or higher can use the Stealth skill to hide even while being observed. When attempting to hide after making a ranged attack, he suffers no penalty instead of -10.  Chameleon (Ex): The ranger is so attuned to the environment around him that if he stands still for a full round and focuses on being hidden, he effectively becomes invisible (he gains a +20 bonus to Stealth checks to remain silent as well as hidden). Thereafter, he can move at his normal speed and remain hidden without penalty, or he can run with a -10 penalty. He can also make one ranged attack per round without revealing himself, provided he is at least 10 feet from his target. He can otherwise remain this way for as long as he desires; spells like see invisibility will not reveal him, since he isn't actually invisible, but true seeing will show his location.</blockquote>

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