Rangers. Why? Maybe this is the solution.

[Bonedagger]

Ok. I know that titel was biased

I never liked the D&D ranger. I never either understood why the fighter should have so few skills to chose from.

My plan now is to remove the ranger class completely. Then add the rangers skill selection choise to the fighters. Giving the fighter some needed flexibility.


The only skills that will be added that cannot be used untrained is Animal Empathy (Former forbidden skill) and Intuitive Direction (Former cross-class skill).


This way you can have ranger types (As per not D&D classic and Drizzt) who don't all fight two-handed and cast spells.


My question now is. Do anybody see a balance problem with this. I am seriously considdering doing this.

 

[Crothian]

Ya, you're giving a lot of the most powerful skills to a class that is supposed to be skill light, because it is feat heavy. If you do this I'd get rid of a few of the bonus feats. I'd make them at 2,5,8,11,14,17,20.

 

[dglass]

I would suggest either using Monte Cooks ranger. I don't know the addy but a google search will find it. Or, I would make Ranger a prestige class. Or two of them. One that is Classic Dritz and one yours.

 

[Bonedagger]

Ya, you're giving a lot of the most powerful skills to a class that is supposed to be skill light, because it is feat heavy. If you do this I'd get rid of a few of the bonus feats. I'd make them at 2,5,8,11,14,17,20.

But they don't have that many skillpoints to spend.

The added variation that would make the class in general more powerfull does not make the individual fighter more powerfull. That would take more skill points to spend. (The exception being making Intuitive Direction and Animal Empathy available)


Also. The other classes get a lot of special abilities. Fighters don't (Comparing paladin and fighter)


Based on those two things I don't see why fighters should get fewer bonus feats.



My idea was that instead of having a fighter who had....

[Typical knight; Uses Longsword, Chainshirt and Lg Steel Shield]
4 ride, 4 handle animals & 4 Jump (Who can still make wilderness lore checks etc.)

you'll have a fighter who....

[Grew up in the woods; Uses Longbow, Battle Axe, Hide Armor and Wooden Shield]
4 wilderness lore (Grew up in the forrest), 4 animal empathy (He is raising his own dogs for hunting), 2 listen (or spot) (He do a lot of hunting) & 2 Move Silently

Or.....

[Cave fighter;Uses Longspear, Javelins and Scale Mail]
4 Intuit direction, 4 Heal & 4 Climb

Or....

[Former sailer (Urbane setting, Good to mix with rogue); Uses Scimitar and dagger (Expertise feat)]
4 craft ("Repair boat" ), 4 Use Rope and 4 Intuit direction.

Or....

[Tribe Warrior (Zulu style); Uses Spear and Wood Shield]
4 Wilderness Lore (Gets Tracking feat), 4 Hide and 4 Move Silently

Or....

[Elven Archer (To be combined with rogue levels); Uses Studded Leather, Longbow and Dagger]
4 Hide, 4 Move Silently & 4 Spot

...etc.

When a ranger can learn these skills why should a fighter not be able to do the same. If you grew up in the woods where these skills were normal for survival why would these skills be alien to you? You don't need any of the official fighter skills to become a fighter anyway. All you need to become a fighter is some time spend on training. Does your background have to matter?

I could understand the arguement that social structures prevented somebody from learning a certain skill. One that is not commen or requires lots of resources.

....And then we would also be leaving nature-magic to Druids

 

[Bonedagger]

I would suggest either using Monte Cooks ranger. I don't know the addy but a google search will find it. Or, I would make Ranger a prestige class. Or two of them. One that is Classic Dritz and one yours.

I have seen it. However. This is just as much about the fighter class as well. Besides I still don't see why a rangertype should be able to cast magic.

 

[Crothian]

The Fighters feats are equal to or better then most of the classes special features. I'm just saying that adding a whole lot mor eclass skills will increase the fighter. The DMG has options for alternating the classes, it's easy to use and will serve the purpose. I do agree that there are many fighters tpyes and altering their class skills will help define them.

 

[Bonedagger]

The Fighters feats are equal to or better then most of the classes special features. I'm just saying that adding a whole lot mor eclass skills will increase the fighter. The DMG has options for alternating the classes, it's easy to use and will serve the purpose. I do agree that there are many fighters tpyes and altering their class skills will help define them.

Now that you say it I can remember having read that section (Long ago). It would maybe be a good idea to reread it.

BTW. Congratulation on crossing the 10000 post line.

 

[Chacal]

The Fighters feats are equal to or better then most of the classes special features. I'm just saying that adding a whole lot mor eclass skills will increase the fighter.

I'm not sure I agree with that but I'm in the fighter got the shaft camp, so I might be biased

The DMG has options for alternating the classes, it's easy to use and will serve the purpose. I do agree that there are many fighters tpyes and altering their class skills will help define them.

I agree with that. This "solution" ranger looks like a variant fighter to me.
adding some class skills, removing heavy armor...


Chacal

P.S to Crothian :Every 3 posts I make, you do 200