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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ConcreteBuddha" data-source="post: 554519" data-attributes="member: 3139">Re: Re: CB's RangerI disagree. I'll defend each point below. (Also, I think it's amusing that other people think that my version is too powerful. *grin*) The problem with doing this (and I had toyed with the idea), is that each class needs to have a number of permanent abilities that define its place. (Hence the whole point of a class-based system.) The ranger is no exception.With that in mind, I attempted to take those abilities that fit the archtype of a "ranger" and make those abilities a permanent part of the class. Only afterwards did I take the other "rangerish" special abilities and make them available to the ranger at specific points to balance the class with the other basic classes.... Permanent abilities of my RRanger that define the flavor of the class (and I believe fit the archtype of the lightly armored skirmisher/wilderness guide/scout: Track (This is a no brainer. If a ranger cannot track, that is not a ranger, but a fighter with some wilderness lore ranks.)Fast Movement (Aragorn, anyone?)Uncanny Dodge (Fits a lightly armored fighter concept perfectly)Woodland Stride & Trackless Step (The only supernatural abilities the class receives. These are also good flavor that fit the tracker archtype.)Damage Reduction (Rangers are tough and can endure hardships that others would perish under.)... "Rangerish" abilities that could apply to a ranger: RageFavored EnemiesFavored TerrainTWFArcheryVarious feats from MotWFrom the above list, I made decisions based on game-balance, flavor, and how the class interacts with the other 9 classes. I crossed out Favored Terrain for reasons discussed above (plus, it doesn't appear in the PHB). I also got rid of spells because a melee class cannot have the best BAB AND skill points AND hit dice AND special abilities AND spells. Something had to go. A paladin has horrible skills. A ranger can lose spells. (If he misses them so badly, he could always play a ranger/druid or ranger/wizard.)From that point, I balanced my revised ranger against the PHB fighter, barbarian and ranger at every level. This was done to make sure that the class was effective, but not perfect. Well, in order to solve the front-loading problem, you have to weaken the class at lower levels. (Front loading = powerful at low levels, afterall.)Besides, my rranger is balanced at L1 versus the fighter, not the PHB ranger or barbarian (although I did compare them out of thoroughness). The ranger gets better class skills, more skill points and Track, the fighter gets one feat. I think that's balanced. If you'd like, I could compare them at each level between 1 and 5. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" /> And gain UD, damage reduction, fast movement, trackless step and woodland stride. (Something has got to give.)Also:*Who ever uses medium armor as a ranger? It's all about the mithral chain shirt and breastplate.*My RRanger doesn't get proficiency with shields. That doesn't mean he can't use them. A MW small shield or a mithral large shield are still open to the character. *The two pseudo-feats are a major sticking point to the PHB ranger (hence why every munchkin on the planet takes one level of the class.)*My version of favored enemies is more powerful than the PHB version because it is a flat +3 bonus. At level 4, the ranger can take a favored enemy and gain a +3 to a bunch of stuff. Can't really give that at level 1. And gain additional class skills, track, woodland stride, and trackless step. (Something has got to give.)*they gain fast movement back at 6th level. I moved it from 1st to 6th because the rranger was slightly too powerful compared to a low-level fighter.*Rage they can gain back easily. To make a PHB barbarian using my class, you'd take Rage, Extra Rage x2, Greater Rage and Tireless Rage as special abilities. They lose the d12 HD (+20 hps at L20) and gain trackless step, track, woodland stride and better class skills.*Granted, losing mithral full plate is annoying (but not horrible, since mithral breastplates and chain shirts are still allowable.)*See the shield point above. My mileage is that my players all love this class. (PHB barbarians are boring. PHB rangers are nothing like the archtypical ranger.) Thank you for your input. Defending my class to people while receiving constructive criticism is the best way to make changes to the game. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /></blockquote>

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