Will 3.5e really fix the ranger?

[Olgar Shiverstone]

I miss the 1st edition ranger (UA modified), more of an Aragorn archetype.

Spells were mixtuire of druid and arcane (though the mechanic there was lousy).

Of his first four weapons, he had to have a bow or crossbow, a sword, an axe or spear, and a dagger or knife -- though that allowed some customization. Good woodland weapons.

He had some favored enemy-type bonuses, great for defending civilization against giants and goblinoids.

He was sneaky and could track. He couldn't have any more good than he could carry on himself or his mount -- he was a mobile warrior. Not many operated together; they were the loners of the wild.

That's the kind of ranger I like.

 

[Zaruthustran]

Re: Re: Yup

Ranger; /rAnjur/; n.; 1. One who patrols an area and its border regions in the interest of defense. 2. Law enforcement officer, especially of Texas. 3. Offical charged with the protection of a wilderness area or park.

Cute.

What I meant by "RANGER" is "more like a Middle-Earth Ranger/Aragorn".

What makes a Fighter a Fighter? Why, bonus Fighter feats, of course.

So, if a Ranger is given specific Fighter feats, what does that make the Ranger? Or the Figher, for that matter?

If you want to be a guy who excels at fighting with a bow, you should play a Fighter and take the archery feats. Want to fight with two weapons? Play a Fighter, and take the TWF feats. In neither case should the best option be the Ranger class.

Rangers should be all about guiding expeditions. Identifying and overcoming wilderness obstacles. Travelling fast over land, and getting a group to travel fast over land.

The Ranger, more than *any* other class, should be self-sufficient.

The Ranger should not be a better fighter than the Fighter.

-z

 

[jgbrowning]

Re: Re: Re: Yup

Rangers should be all about guiding expeditions. Identifying and overcoming wilderness obstacles. Travelling fast over land, and getting a group to travel fast over land.

-z

The big problem here is that those skills/abilities are far from being class specific as they are skills anyone should possess.

Generally people think the ranger should just do them better than anyone else. Ranger has always seemed to be more a discription like "mercenary" or "scout" than a class to me.

joe b.

 

[Ravellion]

Pimp my alt ranger, which I made after an extensive poll on this site.

Go to character options from my main page. It's in my sig.

 

[DWARF]

Actually, Revellion, I looked at your Alt. Ranger, and I like it. It's not exactly what I'd been thinking of, but I really like it. You guys should give it a look.

 

[WanderingMonster]

If the ranger doesn't get the shaft, then who will??

 

[Steverooo]

Steverooo's Ranger

I give him Track at first level, and an additional Bonus Feat at second and third (similar to the Fighter, but from a second selected list). He also gets certain bonus special abilities, and no additional bonus Feats until some-teen level. He no longer has Favored Enemies, unless he uses a Feat to get it.

Below are the list of Feats (s)he can select from, and the Favored Enemy Feat, for anyone who cares...

Bonus Feats: Beginning at second level, the Ranger may choose occasional Feats from the following list, as indicated by the above chart.

Alertness,
Ambidexterity (regardless of Dexterity, for backwards compatibility),
Blind-Fight,
Combat Reflexes,
Dodge (Dex. 13+)
(Mobility, Spring Attack),
Endurance,
Exotic Weapon Proficiency* (Base Attack Bonus +1 or higher),
Expertise (Int. 13+)
(Improved Disarm, Improved Trip, Whirlwind Attack),
Favored Enemy (See below)
(Enmity Avoidance (See below), Damage Production (See below), Favored Enemy Critical Strike (See Below), Favored Enemy Strike (See Below)),
Great Fortitude,
Improved Initiative,
Improved Stability (See below),
Improved Unarmed Strike
(Claw (See below), Deflect Arrows (Dex. 13+), Hammer-Hand (See below)),
Iron Will,
Lightning Reflexes,
Mounted Combat (Ride skill)
(Mounted Archery, Trample, Ride-By Attack, Spirited Charge),
Point Blank Shot
(Far Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Shot on the Run),
Power Attack (Str. 13+)
(Improved Bull Rush, Sunder),
Quick Draw (BAB 1+),
Run,
Spell Penetration,
Toughness**,
Two-Weapon Fighting
(Improved Two-Weapon Fighting),
Weapon Finesse*,
Weapon Focus*,
Weapon Specialization: Axe (any)/Bow (any)/Crossbow (any)/Dagger/Spear (any)/Sword (any)
Weather-Wise (See below)
Any Ranger-Specific Feat, below.

* These Feats may be taken more than once, each applying to a different weapon, skill, etc., but do not stack.

** This Feat may be taken multiple times, the effects stacking.

Favored Enemy (General)
You hate certain types of creatures so much that you have extensively studied and trained in the proper techniques of combatting them. Thus, you gain bonuses in hostilities with them.
Benefit: Against one general type of creatures (Aberrations, Animals, Beasts, Constructs, Dragons, Humanoid Sub-Group (such as "Dark & Vile", "Fey", or "Magical Humanoids"), Magical Beasts, Oozes, Outsider Sub-Group (such as Elementals or Slaadi), Plants, Shapechangers, Undead, or Vermin) you receive a +1 damage bonus (even against creatures immune to critical hits), even when using missile weapons within 30', as well as +1 to all Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Wilderness Lore checks when using these skills against those types of creatures. Every five levels after taking this Feat, these bonuses increase by one, and a new Favored Enemy may be added, beginning at +1.

Yes, this weakens the Ranger, a bit, especially for the first three levels, but after that the only real loss is having to expend the one non-bonus Feat that all first level characters get in order to get Favored Enemies... IF you still want it!

Also note that these Feats don't "fix" the Ranger, just allow for flexibility with back-wards compatibility. The "fix" is in the Special Abilities granted! Still, I *HOPE* WotC will "steal" this idea!...