Ranger feats

[Plane Sailing]

Here are three that I use in my campaign


Favoured Enemy [pseudo-class]
You can select an enemy who you having been facing a lot, and get a bonus against them
Prerequisites: Base attack +5 or more
Benefit: You may pick one favoured enemy from the same list that the ranger uses and which you have fought. You get +1 to hit and damage (morale bonus) against that enemy and a +1 bonus on Spot, Listen, Search, Bluff and Wilderness Lore against that enemy.

Inside their Guard [pseudo-class]
You are more able to land a critical blow against one of your favoured enemies.
Pre: Favoured enemy bonus of at least +2 against one particular enemy type.
Benefit: Select one of your favoured enemies against whom you have at least a +2 bonus. Your critical threat range is doubled against that type of creature, no matter what weapon you are using. This will stack with the improved critical feat and keen weapons.

Pierce the Vitals [pseudo-class]
You know where the most vital locations on your favoured enemies are.
Pre: Favoured enemy bonus at least +4 against one particular enemy type
Benefit: Select one of your favoured enemies against whom you have at least a +4 bonus. Your critical threat multiplier is increased by one when attacking that kind of creature with any weapon you are using. E.g. a sword will do a x3 critical. This only applies to missile weapons when you are within 30ft of your target. It (naturally) has no effect on creatures immune to critical hits.


These feats pre-date ones published by Monte and in Masters of the Wild which look at similar issues. Frankly I prefer mine - but then I would, eh?

p.s. Jester, I think you ought to modify the description of the first one you posted - where does this business of "intense loathing" come from? That was a 2e aspect of favoured enemy, and isn't there in 3e.

Cheers

 

[Chun-tzu]

I've heard he has it in the Hallowed book or whatever it is that just came out. So, it might have been edited, I haven't read that one yet.

Nope, it's still the same. The feat has been clarified to stack with Favored Enemy Critical Strike, though.

 

[the Jester]

p.s. Jester, I think you ought to modify the description of the first one you posted - where does this business of "intense loathing" come from? That was a 2e aspect of favoured enemy, and isn't there in 3e.

Cheers

Good point! I've always seen it roleplayed that way, but I guess it is just a 'flavor' thing... I'll prolly adjust that one.

Didja see my wiz/sor feats?? There's a thread here in house rules called Arcane Synergy that I'd love more input on as well...

Thanks!

 

[Hashmalum]

Here's a feat I came up with that adds a bit of 2E feel.

Hated Enemy [General]
Choose one of your favored enemy types. You have a deep and abiding hatred for those creatures.
Prerequisite: Favored enemy class ability.
Benefit: You add your favored enemy benefit to your attack rolls against creatures of that type. However, your undying enmity towards creatures of that type can be concealed only with difficulty; apply the same modifier as a penalty to Diplomacy checks against creatures of that type. Reactions of creatures of that type to you are automatically shifted one step towards Hostile. On the other hand, you add your favored enemy benefit to Intimidate checks against creatures of that type.

You could make this a prerequisite for Grim Speed and Vehemence of Speech. On the other hand, Vehemence of speech seems kind of weak as it is without requiring a prerequisite; I mean, you have to be a 5th level ranger before the bonuses even match the bonuses given by a standard skill feat, and even then they only apply to a very narrow usage of the skill. Perhaps add Bluff to the list of skills receiving bonuses? I do like the idea of the feat, though.

 

[the Jester]

Hashmalum, I like it! I think I'll swipe that one...

Good point about the vehemence of speech, too; I think I'll give it a boost somehow. Maybe I will require Hated Enemy as a prereq for it after a redesign...

 

[Stalker0]

Here's a couple I've thought up.

Bleed

Prereqs: Favored Enemy Bonus +3
Benefit: When fighting a favored enemy, you can give up +2 of your favored enemy bonus on an attack. Your weapon is now considered to have the wounding enhancement for that attack. This does not stack with wounding already on the weapon.


Favored Enemy Intution
You know where your enemies will strike

Prereqs: Wis 13+, Dex 13+, Favored Enemy Bonus +2
Benefit: Against attacks made by your favored enemies, you have a 10% miss chance that stacks with other miss chances.


Practiced Dodge
Your experience allows you greater agility

Prereqs: Favored Enemy Intuition, Dodge
Benefit: Against attacks made by your favored enemies, you can add your favored enemy bonus as a dodge bonus to your AC.


Practiced Accuracy
Your experience allows you to recover even on missed attacks.

Prereqs: Wis 13+, Favored Enemy Bonus +3
Benefit: Against your favored enemies, you gain a 10% hit chance. Whenever you miss, you have a 10% chance to turn it into a hit. This ability only works if your bonus against the favored enemy is +3 or higher.
*note: This is similar to Monte's spell in Hallowed Might.


Woodsman Perception
Time in the woods has sharpened your senses.
Prereqs: Favored Enemy bonus +2, Alertness
Benefit: You gain +2 to spot and listen which stacks with the bonus from alertness.

Favored Enemy Vulnerability
Your enemies reveal all weaknesses.
Prereqs: Wis 13+, Dex 13+, Combat Reflexes, Favored Enemy Bonus +3
Benefit: You are not limited to one AOO per opponent per round when the opponent is a favored enemy.



Keep this stuff up guys, ranger only feats are definately one way to improve the ranger immensely.

 

[dkilgo]

I like the feats, and hope to post some when I get them typed up. Thanks, guys!

 

[Mordane76]

There are a lot of nice feats here!
Would the creators of these feats mind if I post these on my website, so my players and I can use them?

 

[Technik4]

Bolstered Characteristic [Favored]
You feel charged when fighting any of your favored enemies.
Prereq: Favored Enemy +3, BAB +10
Benefit: When you are fighting any of your favored enemies you may add a +1 bonus per +1 bonus of favored enemy to any 1 of your attributes which last the duration of the encounter. You may use this ability once per day. For instance a 20th level ranger with favored enemy - giants +5 may add a +5 bonus to constitution for the duration of any 1 encounter against giants per day.

Advantageous Insight [Favored]
You can show others how to take advantage of your favored enemy.
Prereq: Favored Enemy +1, Cha 13+
Benefit: When you are fighting any of your favored enemies any allies within 10ft receive the same bonuses from your favored enemy ability you do. For instance a 20th level ranger with favored enemy - Goblinoids +1, gives all allies within 10ft a +1 bonus to Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Wilderness Lore and a +1 bonus to weapon damage rolls against goblinoids.
Special: You may take this feat more than once, each time you do it expands the radius 10ft.

Sensitive Strike [Favored]
You are well versed in the most delicate of areas a creature posseses.
Prereq: Favored Enemy +2, Wis 13+
Benefit: When you are fighting any of your favored enemies you may substitute any number of bonus damage points from your favored enemy bonus to add to the crit range of the weapon you are using. This addition happens after any other doubling from keen or improved critical. For instance, a 20th level ranger with favored enemy - orcs +2 may subtract 2 points of damage and add 2 to his crit range.

Wise to their Ways [Favored]
You are well aware of your enemies supernatural or magical capabilities.
Prereq: Favored Enemy +1, Int 13+
Benefit: You may add your favored enemy bonus to any saving throw that you make against a favored enemy. Against fear effects, this bonus is doubled. For instance, a 20th level ranger with favored enemy - drow +3 gets a +3 saving throw bonus against any of the spells a drow may use on him. The same ranger with favored enemy - dragons +4, gets a +8 bonus against fear effects the dragon may use.

Intuition [Favored]
You can try to make deductions about non-favored enemies.
Prereq: Favored Enemy +3
Benefit: Once per week choose any type that would be appropriate for a new favored enemy. You may gain a +1 bonus against that enemy if you pass a DC of 30. You add your ranger levels plus INT bonus to the roll. For every 5 points above 30 you get another +1 (max of +5). This bonus lasts 1 day.
Special: The DM may allow a circumstantial +2 bonus to the ranger's role based on: Differences between favored enemies (if you have demon and want a bonus against a devil, for instance), Interaction with proposed race (if you have been dealing with a mutant evil pixie infestation for the past few days, and have a feel for their anatomy and strategems), or Knowledge of the proposed race (you have read a tome concerning duregar).

These are my contributions, and I would say that most of a rangers bonus feat list should consist of feats with the [Favored] descriptor, which require at least +1 favored enemy.

I also think that every 5 levels a ranger gets a new favored enemy and gets to choose where the bonuses go. For instance when hitting 5th level, you may leave goblinoids at +1, and have your new enemy be drow, at +2. At 10th level you may raise drow by 1, and add orcs at +2, leaving goblinoids at +1. Every level you must choose 1 new enemy and you may not choose more than 1 new enemy. It looks like this:

Ranger
1st- Favored Enemy (1 point)
5th- Favored Enemy (2 points)
10th- Favored Enemy (3 points)*
15th- Favored Enemy (4 points)*
20th- Favored Enemy (5 points)*

*- The maximum bonus for non-epic rangers is 5. At epic levels the maximum increases by 1 every 5 epic levels.

The ranger is considered to be studying up on new enemies in-between these levels, and may roleplay it as such. This is much the same way a wizard knows two 3rd level spells upon hitting 5th level which he may pen in his book.

Also, I ditch animal companions except for up to 1 HD/5 levels of ranger, this allows for a hawk or some-such. Additionally, my ranger gets a bonus feat every 5 levels, like a wizard, starting at 2nd level.

Good stuff,

Technik

 

[Stalker0]

Technix, a few things to consider.

For your bolstering feat, what happens when your fighting a combo of enemies, some favored, some not?

Why should I get a bonus to con throughout the encounter, even against the attacks of nonfavored enemies?

Also, I have also thought about a feat that gives the rangers bonuses to saves against spells and such. But as a friend of mine pointed out, why should my study of humans make me any better at resisting magic, since magic doesn't really change from race to race.