What's a Monte Ranger?

[kenjib]

Comparing Monte's ranger to a fighter, he gets one less hit point per level, 4 fewer bonus feats by 20th level, and no heavy armor prof. In exchange for that he gets three times as many skill points (almost as many as a rogue) and a bigger skill list, track, favored enemy, spells (including polymorph self), animal companions, better saves, and a better BaB on average via favored enemy.

It seems a bit heavy to me. How many feats is the spell progression alone worth in exchange?

 

[kenjib]

I cannot think of any pre-dnd Ranger archtypes that had ANY spellcasting ability (Aragorn, Legolas, Robin Hood (Ok, so robin hood was probably a rogue, even still...)

Slight nitpick -- Aragorn does use magic, but that's because, like Robin Hood, he wouldn't be a pure ranger himself.

 

[Crothian]

It seems a bit heavy to me. How many feats is the spell progression alone worth in exchange?

It's impossible to say. I'm a 5th level range right now. I get one first level spell. So, I have to guess about what will be the most useful. It's really hard to say. Rangers are utility spellcasters. They have a few offensive spells like Entangle, but they are more useful IMO to take the spells that are non combat oriented.

 

[Crothian]

and a better BaB on average via favored enemy.

Favored enemy does not give a bonus to attack, just damage.

 

[Rune]

The Wheel of Time Woodsman is blasphemey as far as I am concerned. A ranger should have some kind of limited spell capacity.

Huh? Why? I may be misremembering, but didn't the 1e ranger have no spellcasting ability?

 

[Crothian]

Huh? Why? I may be misremembering, but didn't the 1e ranger have no spellcasting ability?

It had access to druid and magic using spells.

 

[Rune]

It had access to druid and magic using spells.

Oh yeah...magic-user spells. THAT was what was wierd about it.

 

[kenjib]

Favored enemy does not give a bonus to attack, just damage.

Oops. Yeah -- thanks for the correction.

 

[Tsyr]

Slight nitpick -- Aragorn does use magic, but that's because, like Robin Hood, he wouldn't be a pure ranger himself.

Aragorns magic was a result of WHO he was, not WHAT he was.

 

[kenjib]

Aragorns magic was a result of WHO he was, not WHAT he was.

Yeah, but we're talking about converting literary convention into d20 mechanics. The closest thing that would represent this in d20, without inventing something new, would probably be a PRC for the Kings of the Dunedain.