Storyteller01
First Post
Nifft said:
Didn't the Masters of the Wild splat book allow you to swap out the favored enemy damage bonuses for bonuses to HIde, Move Silently, etc? It was a variant rule to make 'Favored Enemy: Construct' a viable option..
Ranger Customization Continued
- Thread starter Roman
- Start date
Didn't the Masters of the Wild splat book allow you to swap out the favored enemy damage bonuses for bonuses to HIde, Move Silently, etc? It was a variant rule to make 'Favored Enemy: Construct' a viable option..
'Expanded' Favoured Terrains, Modified Favoured Enemy Mechanics - good stuff. 
I particularly like the 'bane' and 'arrows of slaying' effects against favoured enemies.
Nift, ranger in my mind is a 'ight' warriorish outdoorsman. I guess that would be the same as your list minus the favoured enemy requirement. I don't actually dislike the ranger's favoured enemies or combat styles - in fact I quite like them - this is just to provide customization options - since I don't consider them to be the core aspects of a ranger. I do, however, actively dislike ranger having spells... although there is nothing wrong with them in principle, it is just my flavour preference.
I particularly like the 'bane' and 'arrows of slaying' effects against favoured enemies. Nift, ranger in my mind is a 'ight' warriorish outdoorsman. I guess that would be the same as your list minus the favoured enemy requirement. I don't actually dislike the ranger's favoured enemies or combat styles - in fact I quite like them - this is just to provide customization options - since I don't consider them to be the core aspects of a ranger. I do, however, actively dislike ranger having spells... although there is nothing wrong with them in principle, it is just my flavour preference.
Storyteller01 said:Maybe replace Favored Enemies with Skill focus feats or Skill mastery abilities (First Favored enemy = Skill focus. Second Favored enemy = Another Skill Focus bonus or skill mastery with the skill the previous Skill focus was applied to, etc)? Not quite the roguish skill monkey, but REALLY good at what they do.
Pushing my own houserule (repeatedly), but I modified the Iaijutsu skill to make the ranged ranger more deadly (actually did it for the IK scout, since I don't use the ranger). Pretty simple: Can only be used with a ranged weapon (bow or crossbow), can only be used on a surprise action (so only one attack), and your flatfooted while you aim. You roll the skill to determine extra damage (10-14= +1d6, 15-19= +2d6, etc. Damage caps at +9d6), then you roll to hit. If you hit apply damage. Max range of this skill is the max range of the weapon you're using.
This damage doesn't stack with sneak attack damage.
I do like the idea of swapping spells for favored terrain
What is the Iaijutsu skill? I am not sure I follow - is it a skill that allows you to do extra damage with your attacks?
the Jester
Legend
imho the single best set of mods one can make to the existing ranger without shaking it up significantly is to create more fighting style progressions (mounted, single weapon, sword & board, etc).
It's in Oriental Adventures. It gives you bonus damage on the first strike in a fight if you roll better than your opponent, or something like that. It's there to represent the "draw blade, kill foe, and return blade to sheath in one move" samurai thing. It's widely regarded as rather broken.Roman said:
Thing to remember when doing this is that the existing styles have rather high prereqs on the later feats in the style, prereqs you don't have to worry about when getting them as bonus feats. Both Manyshot and Improved TWF require BAB +6 and Dex 17 (plus assorted other stuff), and both Improved Precise Shot and Greater TWF require BAB +11 and Dex 19. It's tempting to make, for example, a Mounted path starting with Mounted Combat at 2nd level, Ride-by attack at 6th, and Spirited Charge at 11th... but all of those are available to a 1st level human fighter, making them less "special" than the existing styles.the Jester said:
Storyteller01
First Post
Staffan said:
What he said, but both participants in an Iaijutsu duel are considered surprised (flat footed). Both of you have to have the skill and quick draw, or there's no real drama.
The skill is treated as an intiative roll/damage boost during the duel.
IMO, It isn't all that broken. The skill is only usable under certain conditions, unless you take levels in the PrC built around it (and even that takes some time). It's actually an elegant way of portraying a true iaijutsu duel, compared to other methods I've seen. Makes a nice variation on the sneak attack as well, with some tweaking.
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