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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Capellan" data-source="post: 441483" data-attributes="member: 6294">We all have one, right? <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />Like many others, I have some issues with the Ranger As Written.  The favoured enemy thing doesn't worry me as much as some others, since as DM I would warn someone when they were taking an inappropriate choice, and/or try to include a reasonable number of the correct type of foes in the game.I do agree that the "front-loading" of the class is a potential problem.  However, it hasn't actually been an issue yet for my game, since the people taking levels in Ranger have been more interested in playing a particular type of character than in getting "free" ambidexterity and two-weapon fighting.Personally, my principle issue with the class is one of flavour.  For a character which is supposed to be diverse, they all end up looking suspiciously similar (not to mention suspiciously similar to a certain Dark Elf).So I sat down and tried to design a Ranger that could end up looking more like Aragorn, or Legolas ... but that could still be like Drizzt, if that was your thing.Let me know what you think of it - I'm mainly interested in feedback on flavour, rather than anything else, but if you see any glaring rules or balance problems, feel free to bring those to my attention as well!RANGER Alignment: Any.Hit Die: d10.Skill Points: 4 plus Int modifier per level (x4 at 1st level)Class Skills: The ranger's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Animal Empathy (Cha, exclusive skill), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intuit Direction (Wis), Jump (Str), Knowledge (nature, geography, history, local) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Use Rope (Dex), and Wilderness Lore (Wis). Weapon and Armour Proficiency: A ranger is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light armour and shields. Level.BAB............FORT.REF.WILL.Special1.....+1.............+2...+2..+0...Skills of the Hunt, Track2.....+2.............+3...+3..+0...Skills of the Hunt3.....+3.............+3...+3..+1...Skills of the Hunt4.....+4.............+4...+4..+1    5.....+5.............+4...+4..+1...Implacable Hunter 1/day6.....+6/+1..........+5...+5..+2...Special Ability7.....+7/+2..........+5...+5..+2    8.....+8/+3..........+6...+6..+29.....+9/+4..........+6...+6..+3...Special Ability10....+10/+5.........+7...+7..+3...Implacable Hunter 2/day11....+11/+6/+1......+7...+7..+312....+12/+7/+2......+8...+8..+4...Special Ability13....+13/+8/+3......+8...+8..+414....+14/+9/+4......+9...+9..+415....+15/+10/+5.....+9...+9..+5...Special Ability, Implacable Hunter 3/day16....+16/+11/+6/+1..+10..+10.+517....+17/+12/+7/+2..+10..+10.+518....+18/+13/+8/+3..+11..+11.+6...Special Ability19....+19/+14/+9/+4..+11..+11.+620....+20/+15/+10/+5.+12..+12.+6...Implacable Hunter 4/day Skills of the Hunt: the Ranger gains one bonus feat for each of their first 3 levels.  They may only choose these feats from the following list:Alertness, Endurance, runTrack: the Ranger gains Track as a bonus feat.Implacable Hunter: By 5th level, the Ranger has attained sufficient skill and discipline that they are able to focus themselves totally on the attainment of a specified goal.  It takes a full round to activate this ability.  Once activated, the Ranger can choose to become the subject of one (and only) of the following benefits.  Each benefit lasts for 3 rounds, plus the Ranger's WIS modifier:·    Awareness: the Ranger is able to temporarily focus their senses to such a degree that they are considered to have the Blind-Fight feat.  If they already have this feat, they are instead considered to have Blindsight to a distance of 30'.·    Sprint:  the Ranger's base move increases by 20'.  This ability stacks with the Run feat and with magical enhancements, but not with the Barbarian or Monk speed abilities.·    Slaying: the Ranger gains a +2 morale bonus to hit as well as 2 temporary hit points per ranger level attained.  Damage suffered during this time is deducted from the ranger's temporary hit points first.For every five levels after 5th (10th, 15th, and 20th level), the ranger may use this ability one additional time per day.  Only one benefit of Implacable Hunter can be in effect at a time, and multiple uses of the same ability do not stack.  Implacable Hunter is an extraordinary ability.Special Ability:  at 6th level and every 3 levels thereafter, the Ranger gains a special ability, chosen from the following list:Bonus Feat:  The Ranger gains a bonus feat, which must be chosen from the list below.  If the feat has pre-requisites, the Ranger is required to meet them before they can choose it.  New feats are marked with an asterisk (*):Ambidexterity, Blind-Fight, Composed*, Dodge, Exotic Weapon Proficiency, Expertise, Far Shot, Improved Initiative, Improved Unarmed Strike, Mobility, Mounted Archery, Mounted Combat, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Quick Draw, Rapid Shot, Ride-By Attack, Self-Reliant*, Shot on the Run, Skill Focus, Spirited Charge, Spring Attack, Toughness, Trample, Two-Weapon Fighting, Whirlwind Attack (Feats from non-SRD sources can be added to this list at the DM's discretion.)Foe Bane:  the Ranger has studied a certain type of target so thoroughly that they enjoy a +2 competence bonus to hit opponents of that type, as well as a +4 competence bonus to Wilderness Lore when attempting to track them.  The types of foes that can be chosen are identical to the types which can be chosen for "favoured enemy" in the SRD.NB: this ability counts as possession of the "favoured enemy class ability" for Prestige Classes which have that as a requirement.  Where a specific favoured enemy is required, the Foe Bane ability must apply to that type of enemy.Example:  If a Prestige Class had "Favoured Enemy (Aberrations)" as a requirement, then possession of the "Foe Bane (Aberrations)" special ability would meet the requirement.Skill Mastery:  the Ranger selects a number of skills equal to 3 + their INT modifier.  When making a skill check with one of these skills, the ranger may take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent them from doing so.  The ranger becomes so composed and focussed that they can use the skill reliably even under adverse conditions.  The ranger may use this ability multiple times, selecting additional skills for it to apply to each time.Spell Use: The ranger gains 1 level of Druidic spell-casting ability (but no other Druid class abilities or restrictions).  This ability may be taken multiple times, increasing the Ranger's effective casting level each time it is taken.  These levels stack with any actual levels of Druid the character may have.  It also stacks with any Prestige Class that increases Druidic spell-casting ability.Example:  Callow is a Human Ranger 12 who has taken the "Spell Use" ability twice.  He therefore casts spells exactly like a 2nd level Druid (both in terms of the number of spells per day, and his caster level when using them).  If he subsequently gained 3 levels as a Druid (or in an appropriate Prestige Class) he would cast as a 5th level Druid, instead.(This approach was taken to allow the Ranger to gain more use from Prestige Classes that allow increased spell-casting ability)Tireless:  the ranger's Endurance bonus increases from +4 to +8.New FeatsComposedYou are able to remain calm and focussed in even the most trying circumstances.Pre-requisites: WIS 13+Effects: when attempting a skill check, you may reduce any penalties for unfavourable conditions that are applied by the DM by 2 points (this ability cannot make a negative modifier positive, though it can reduce it to zero).Self-ReliantYears of self-reliance have taught you many useful skills.Pre-requisites: Skill Focus (any craft)Effects: you gain a +2 bonus on all Craft checks - even unskilled ones.  This bonus does not stack with Skill Focus.Edit: updates per edit log post of same date</blockquote>

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