Swapping the rangers favored enemy for an increase in speed

[Angel Tarragon]

Okay I have a player that wants to play a ranger. Only she doesnt want the rangers favored enemy class ability. What she proposed to me was increasing the characters [base land] speed by 10 at every level that the ranger would get a favored enemy. What do you guys think is this a fair trade? Also as a note she is taking a feat to increase her land speed by 10 at first level. So in effect if I allow this the character would have a speed of 50 at first level.

 

[DanMcS]

Okay I have a player that wants to play a ranger. Only she doesnt want the rangers favored enemy class ability. What she proposed to me was increasing the characters [base land] speed by 10 at every level that the ranger would get a favored enemy. What do you guys think is this a fair trade? Also as a note she is taking a feat to increase her land speed by 10 at first level. So in effect if I allow this the character would have a speed of 50 at first level.

I think the speed increase will come into play a lot more often than the favored enemy bonus would. It's a pretty good ability, I might go with +5' for every favored enemy slot.

The scout, from compete adventurer, gets a speed boost, I think, but only in rangerific armor (light and medium, I think), you might slap that kind of restriction on it, or encourage her to look at the scout instead.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

At the moment none of the players in the group nor myself has Complete Adventurer.

 

[Ferret]

I think it was in a behind the scenes or something on Wizards.com

 

[the Jester]

A speed increase is a great ability. I do think that it's a fantastic ranger-flavored ability, but giving +10' for every 5 levels is too much. I'd give +10' at 2nd level and +10' every 8 levels thereafter (10th, 18th, and once you're epic 26th, etc). Or else maybe +10' at 1st, 10th and 20th- but more than +30' at 20th level would be excessive, I think. And I'd also limit it to light armor.

 

[robjh]

A speed increase is a great ability. I do think that it's a fantastic ranger-flavored ability, but giving +10' for every 5 levels is too much. I'd give +10' at 2nd level and +10' every 8 levels thereafter (10th, 18th, and once you're epic 26th, etc). Or else maybe +10' at 1st, 10th and 20th- but more than +30' at 20th level would be excessive, I think. And I'd also limit it to light armor.

Personally I'd limit it to +10' with light armor only, at any level. The other speed bumps could be for movement through difficult terrain -- to compensate for normally hindered movement, but not to exceed maximum movement.

 

[CRGreathouse]

Maybe +5 feet every 4 levels?

 

[Terath Ninir]

Much as I'd love to have +10 ft. every 5 levels, that is probably too much. +10 ft. at 1st level and +5 ft. every 5 levels. Unless you play in a very high-magic or wuxia campaign, in which case the original boost won't hurt anything.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Monks get +10ft speed every 3 levels. I think that swapping out favoured enemy for +10ft every five levels is fine (I think the ranger is actually getting shortchanged on the deal - the 3.5 favoured enemy rules are highly effective. The fifth level ranger in a campaign I play in gets +4 damage (and spot/track/etc) against humans... and there are a lot of human enemies around for him to tacke advantage of!

So I'd say "Yes", with the proviso that it is treated exactly like the monk fast running.

That's my take.

 

[Jdvn1]

I think if it's the same progression as the Monk, that's way too much. Anyone know what the Scout speed progression is?