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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Morgenstern" data-source="post: 585232" data-attributes="member: 5485">I's just cleaning up the text a bit, and droping some of the restrictions that leave the current ranger screwed (near uselessness of taking undead as favored enemies). The knowledge skill lets them get a feel for the enemey, and the woodcraft options let the player decide to expand his range, or pour it on to know (and kill) his enemy in campaigns where there is a clear central enemy type.That's my point, exactly <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=";)" />.I'd like to think of it as liberating them from it. D&D has no core classes with x6 skills. The only x8 skill class is the rogue, and given that the ranger shares several of the rogue's most important skills, having a higher HD and BAB class witht the same number of skills per level and many of the same class skills TOTALLY tramples on the rogue's place in the game. So, instead, we let the the Ranger stick to format (x4 skills) -And- do his job in the party, by knowing everything there is to know about being outdoors.I'm trying to add one new class that fills an archetypical role in a party <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=":)" />, not tear into three or four systems at once <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=":)" />. I find optional rules that are small, modular, and don't mangle three or four chapeters at once tend to get the most use by other DMs <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f61b.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue    :p"  data-smilie="7"data-shortname=":p" />.It IS diferent- both skills remain separate. Heck, the Wizard can take Knowledge (Nature) if it makes him happy. This is a class ability unique to the ranger that says, "My wilderness Lore includes all of those things that other folks get in pieces".How is that different other than phrasing? You roll a d20 and compare to a DC, and your bonus goes up 1 per level.Ambushes might also involve sense motive. Once again, this bonus lets the ranger free up his x4 skill points- he can max those skills and be really hard to sneak up on, but if not, he's still noticeably harder to creep up on.It is a skill use- what ever skill you use to perform the ambush with. This is another bonus to doing that.I'd just use one roll by the ranger for the whole group he's with. By putting the modifer on the victim's roll, it clearly helps all of the people on his side.I've got no problem adding an 'Ambusher +2' ability to the rogue's list of special ability choices, but that is for another post <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f61b.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue    :p"  data-smilie="7"data-shortname=":p" />...Because this is the Beastmaster option <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=":)" />. What's not to like about a mildly intelligent ferret that will do your bidding out to about a mile? Empathic link and eventually Speak with Master are great ranger perks - if you want to go that direction. Touch and share spells are a nicety that's only triggered if you are multiclassing, but why throw up obstacles when if the option is never used, it's not making the ability overpowered?Same way the ability works now- the ranger is always looking at the ground, he just has to make a check every mile. What great hunter basically does is if he makes his check, the next check (at the begining of the second mile) is automatically successful. This basically speeds up the game, and makes the ranger more effective at his specialty. Supose he's tracking someone for 30 miles. As it stands he needs to make 30 checks (ouch- and booring as heck). With one level of great hunter, he's only making 15 checks. Now were movin' <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=":)" />. With two levels of great hunter, he only has to make 10 checks to follow the entire trail. Most of the time the ranger's gonna know what he's doing, so this lets limit his chances to fail.Go for it! I do this for a living, so I've been thinking about ranger's for a while <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=":)" />.I'll have to take a look at that <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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