This ranger is unbalanced?

[styker]

In my games the favorite enemy abilities fuctions just with types of creatures without subtypes... for example, you don´t have to choose extraplanar(good) or Humanoid(elf) just extraplanar or humanoid to get the bonus for all humanoids and extraplanar. This house rule is unbalanced?

 

[Starglim]

As long as your PCs meet a few ranger opponents with Favoured Enemy (humanoid), I think it's fine in game balance. From a flavour point of view I would prefer a player to pick about two subtypes, such as Humanoid (orc) and Humanoid (goblin) or Outsider (lawful) and Outsider (evil).

edit: I would not allow Favoured Enemy (extraplanar). That's too broad.

 

[Corsair]

edit: I would not allow Favoured Enemy (extraplanar). That's too broad.

Agreed. Regardless of power, it also doesn't make sense to me.

Training to fight Devils doesn't help when it's time to fight Slaad.

 

[INSERTWITTYNAMEHERE]

It might not seem overpowered at first but when you get into high higher it will be. Also, like the other person said it dosen't make sence.

 

[Shin Okada]

I think "humanoid" is too effective in most DM's campaign. There are so many humanoid opponents.

I too think "Extraplanar" does not make sense. Remember something is not "Extraplanar" in one's own plane. So if you allow this, a ranger gets bonus against a devil when fighting in material plane. But he will not get bonus against the same devil when fighting in nine hell. And he gets bonus against human (assuming one is from material plane) when fighting in somewhere other than material plane.

 

[styker]

And what about favourite enviroments?

 

[Shin Okada]

And what about favourite enviroments?

You mean allowing a ranger to take, say, Favored Environment (Mountains)?

Well, unless your campaign includes truly various environments as adventuring sites, it can be easily abused. In typical campaign, "Favored Environment (Underground)" may dominate the games.

Horizon Walker prestige class has similar ability. But the combat bonuses are much smaller (just +1 to attack & damage).

 

[Moon-Lancer]

favored enemy works well with undead. It covers one of the largest groups that is used often enuff.

 

[Nifft]

It really depends on the campaign. IMC, FE Outsider(Evil) covers most outsiders that the PCs will ever meet -- Slaad are CE (IMHO and IMC), Fey cover the CN niche, and Modrons & Inevitables are of type Construct -- so there are not a whole lot of foes that fall under Outsider(Lawful) or Outsider(Chaotic).

Also IMC, the humanoid races are Human, Elf, Dwarf, Reptilian and Goblinoid. That's it. Not much game difference between that limited palette and FE (Humanoid).

Finally, I love templates! So PCs expect to see half-dragon trolls (type: Dragon), half-fiend bugbears (type: Outsider(Evil)), shadow tigers (type: Magical Beast), half-fiend shadow mineral spellstiched ancient dracoliches (type: TPK), etc.

So, IMC, this would have little or no effect.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Kmart Kommando]

In d20 Future, I think, there was a ranger-like class that had a single favored enemy, and could spend an action point to change it to something different. "I don't like you anymore" *ding* "ooh, you-bane weapons"

Seems like a good concept if you use action points.