Ranger - likes and dislikes?

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Next time I play a ranger (I would be using the IK variant), I'll see if I can talk the DM into switching out favored enemy for the scout's skirmish. Or at least half of the skirmish. That might make the ranger a lot more fun to play. Now there just needs to be a ranged version of skirmish, or does that already exist?

 

[The_Gneech]

Next time I play a ranger (I would be using the IK variant), I'll see if I can talk the DM into switching out favored enemy for the scout's skirmish. Or at least half of the skirmish. That might make the ranger a lot more fun to play. Now there just needs to be a ranged version of skirmish, or does that already exist?

Skirmish applies to ranged attacks within 30' -- think of it as a variation on Sneak Attack.

If you want longer range than that, I believe the Order of the Bow Initiate has a class ability that extends the range of "precision" damage, which should work with Skirmish.

-The Gneech

 

[Ahnehnois]

Likes:
d8 (should be tough, but less so than fighter)
skills (game needs more skillmongers)
Track
movement abilities
weak but useful spells

Dislikes:
Animal companion (too weak; use druid level-3)
Combat styles (not enough flexibility)

 

[Klaus]

What I dislike about the ranger?

The fact that I ain't playin' one! I want my Valenar elf Ranger 5/Revenant Blademaster 5/Wild Plains Outrider 3, and I want him NOW!



Back to your discussion...

 

[Steverooo]

They're CR 1/2 (i.e., half), being easily found and/or disabled.

I still don't know what CR 1/2 is... In the DMG (I), traps of CR Less-Than-One are increased to CR 1. I assume this is like Zero-Level spells, where they are treated as 1/2, for computing costs? So CR 1/2 = CR Zero, actually?

 

[Drowbane]

I think this one could be more of a problem with the druid than the ranger. For a full caster, they are just too good at combat too.


glass.

thus the

 

[Klaus]

I still don't know what CR 1/2 is... In the DMG (I), traps of CR Less-Than-One are increased to CR 1. I assume this is like Zero-Level spells, where they are treated as 1/2, for computing costs? So CR 1/2 = CR Zero, actually?

Well, then the DMG 2 disagrees from the DMG 1, as the booby traps have a CR of 1/2 (or 0.5), which only come into play when it's time to award XP. The costs and building times are flat.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I like the increased flexibilty in the 3.5 edition over the 3.0 edition, but think it falls short.
Rangers have always been the base class of choice for scouts, wilderness warriors and bounty hunters. As things stand right now, there's a Scout class, and the Urban Ranger doesn't really fill the bounty hunter role well- you're better off multiclassing Rogue with Ranger.

I dislike the animal companion. I'm always asking my DMs for a tradeoff to avoid getting one since (because I know my DMs) they'll be killed or stuck at home. Animal Companion, along with the Paladin's Mount and Familiars for spellcasters should be optional- in many campaigns, they cause more trouble than they're worth.

 

[Hussar]

*snip*

I dislike the animal companion. I'm always asking my DMs for a tradeoff to avoid getting one since (because I know my DMs) they'll be killed or stuck at home. Animal Companion, along with the Paladin's Mount and Familiars for spellcasters should be optional- in many campaigns, they cause more trouble than they're worth.

QFT

At least the PITA factor for paladins is mitigated by the summoning. For the others, they are either completely forgotten like familiars or rapidly turned into monster chow.

 

[Fishbone]

Animal companion is weak sauce. No real meaty choices and half druid level BLOWS. And it just doesn't make much sense to me. Did Fred Bear or Davey Crockett have a dire wolf hanging around? HECK NO!
I like the spellcasting, most of it like Hunter's Mercy can be blown off as 1337 woodsman skills.
The skills are nice, as are all the little things and the paths.
I really like Rangers, one of my favorites. If only they didn't have those animal companions.
Would it be out of line for Favored Terrain at 1, 5, 10, 15, and 20 instead of a useless hanger-on?