Morgenstern
First Post
Ok, I've had great fun with the recent ranger thread, but thought that posing a new thread might make it easier to find my current non-casting ranger experiment.
Comment welcome
!
Scott’s Ranger
Note: edited into version 1.1, with reduced woodcraft bonuses and simplified favored enemies.
Abilities: Rangers benefit from a variety of abilities. Wisdom is important to their tracking abilities, and Dexterity for their stealthier skills. Those that engage in combat regularly will also benefit from high Strength and Constitution scores.
Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d8
Class Skills (key ability)
Animal Empathy (Cha; exclusive)
Balance (Dex)
Climb (Str)
Craft (Int)
Handle Animal (Cha)
Heal (Wis)
Hide (Dex)
Intuit Direction (Wis)
Jump (Str)
Listen (Wis)
Move Silently (Dex)
Profession (Wis)
Ride (Dex)
Search (Int)
Spot (Wis)
Swim (Str)
Use Rope (Dex)
Wilderness Lore (Wis)
Skill Points at 1st level: (4 + Intelligence modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Intelligence Modifier
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the ranger.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A ranger is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light armor, medium armor, and shields.
Great Hunter: The ranger is the most skilled of trackers. At 1st level, and each additional ranger level thereafter, the ranger gains 1 additional skill point that must be spent on the Wilderness Lore skill. Further, the ranger gains the Track feat (see Player’s Handbook, chapter 5). All requirements for this feat are waived for the ranger. At 9th level, the distance the ranger may follow tracks before having to make an additional check is doubled (2 miles). At 17th level, this distance is tripled (3 miles).
Woodcraft: Starting at 2nd level, once per day, the ranger gains a +4 competence bonus to any one skill check with one of the ranger’s class skills while outdoors. This ability provides a +6 bonus that may be used twice per day at 8th level, a +8 bonus three times per day at 14th level, and a +10 bonus four times per day at 20th level.
Hard Living: The ranger’s lifestyle has toughened him. At 3rd level, the ranger gains a +1 natural armor bonus. At 11th level, this bonus increases to +2.
Special Ability: At 4th level, the ranger gains his choice of one of the following abilities. Each ability may be chosen only once, unless otherwise stated in the ability’s description. The ranger gains an additional ability of his choice at 7th level, and every three levels thereafter.
Beast Affinity: The ranger receives a +4 bonus to Animal Empathy checks targeting beasts (this offsets the –4 penalty normally imposed for using this skill with beasts). Rangers of 13th level or higher may choose this ability a second time, gaining the ability to use there Animal Empathy skill on magical beasts, though they suffer a –4 circumstance penalty to their checks when doing so.
Covered Tracks: The DC to track the ranger is increased by the ranger’s class level. If the ranger is traveling in a group with characters who do not have this ability, he may instead increase the DC to track the group by one half (round down) his ranger level.
Familiar: The ranger gains a familiar, as described in the sorcerer class ability of the same name (see Player’s Handbook, chapter 3). However, the ranger uses only one-half of his ranger level (rounded up) when determining the familiar’s abilities based on its Master’s Class Level. These reduced levels stack with those of any other class with the familiar ability. Rangers of 13th level or higher may choose this ability a second time, gaining a second familiar. The second familiar may be the same type of creature, but the bonuses from the second familiar do not stack with those of the first.
Fast Tracking: The ranger may move at 3/4 his normal movement rate while tracking.
New Foes: Rangers of 7th level or higher may select an additional type of creature to be included in his Favored Enemies ability with the same restrictions for humanoid and outsider types (see below). He gains all of his Favored Enemies bonuses against this new type, and the Knowledge (favored enemy type) skill for the new type becomes a class skill for the ranger. This ability may be chosen multiple times, each time identifying a new creature type to become one of the ranger’s favored enemies.
Slayer: Rangers of 7th level or higher may increase their threat range when attacking a Favored Enemy by 1 (if using a ranged weapon, this bonus only applies within the weapon’s first range increment). This has no effect on enemies that are not subject to critical hits (such as oozes or undead). Rangers of 13th level or higher may choose this ability a second time, increasing the ranger’s threat range by 2 against his favored enemies.
Stride: When performing overland movement, the ranger may walk for up to 12 hours per day without difficulty (increasing the distance covered by 50%). The ranger may also hustle for up to 4 hours each day before taking damage normally. If the ranger is leading a party including character’s without this ability, he may reduce his rate to aid other. The entire party may walk for up to 10 hours per day (gaining an additional 25% over the norm) or hustle for up to 2 hours before taking damage.
Weather eye: the ranger may make a Wilderness Lore check (1 minute; DC 25) to accurately predict the weather for the next 24 hours. The ranger must be outdoors to make this prediction.
Wilderness Stealth: If the ranger has 5 or more ranks in Wilderness Lore, he gains a +2 Synergy bonus to all Hide and Move Silently checks in a natural setting.
Words of the enemy: Rangers of 7th level or higher may choose to becomes fluent in any 3 automatic languages spoken by creatures of his Favored Enemies type. For example, a ranger with Elementals as favored enemies could learn any three of the elemental languages with this ability. This ability may be taken multiple times. Each time the ranger selects three new languages spoken by his Favored Enemies.
Favored Enemies: The ranger is a hunter, skilled in the elimination of dangerous foes who threaten his people. At 5th level, the ranger may select a type of creature (animals, beasts, dragons, undead, etc.) as his favored enemy. He may not select “Humanoid” or “Outsider”, but may select a more narrowly defined type within those groups (such as goblinoids or humans for ‘humanoid’ and devils or elementals for ‘outsider’). The ranger may select his own race, but murder remains an evil act. Due to his careful study of these foes, he gains several advantages, adding his Wisdom modifer (if positive) to all attack and damage rolls against his favored enemy (if using a ranged weapon, these bonuses only apply within the weapon’s first range increment). He also gains this bonus to all Listen, Spot, and Wilderness Lore skill checks targeting these creatures, and to all Bluff and Sense Motive checks targeting them during combat.
At 15th level, the rangers attacks may do damage to favored enemies with damage reduction. All of his attacks against favored are considered to have an enhancement bonus equal to the ranger's Wisdom modifier (if positive), unless the ranger's weapon already has a higher enhancement bonus. This does not actually grant a bonus to the attack roll.
Ambusher: At 6th level, the ranger receives a +2 bonus to all awareness checks to determine surprise at the beginning of combat (see Player’s Handbook, chapter 8). Further, if the ranger has at least 1 minute to prepare an ambush, the DC of all opponent’s awareness checks are increased by +2. Both of these bonuses are increased to +4 at 6th level, and +6 at 18th level.
BAB - High
Fort - High
Ref - Low
Will - Low
Lvl – Special
1 – Great hunter (Track)
2 – Woodcraft +4 1/day
3 – Hard living +1
4 – Special ability
5 – Favored enemies
6 – Ambusher +2
7 – Special ability
8 – Woodcraft +6 2/day
9 – Great hunter (x2)
10 – Special ability
11 – Hard living +2
12 – Ambusher +4
13 – Special ability
14 – Woodcraft +8 3/day
15 – Favored enemies
16 – Special ability
17 – Great hunter (x3)
18 – Ambusher +6
19 – Special ability
20 – Woodcraft +10 4/day
Comment welcome
!Scott’s Ranger
Note: edited into version 1.1, with reduced woodcraft bonuses and simplified favored enemies.
Abilities: Rangers benefit from a variety of abilities. Wisdom is important to their tracking abilities, and Dexterity for their stealthier skills. Those that engage in combat regularly will also benefit from high Strength and Constitution scores.
Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d8
Class Skills (key ability)
Animal Empathy (Cha; exclusive)
Balance (Dex)
Climb (Str)
Craft (Int)
Handle Animal (Cha)
Heal (Wis)
Hide (Dex)
Intuit Direction (Wis)
Jump (Str)
Listen (Wis)
Move Silently (Dex)
Profession (Wis)
Ride (Dex)
Search (Int)
Spot (Wis)
Swim (Str)
Use Rope (Dex)
Wilderness Lore (Wis)
Skill Points at 1st level: (4 + Intelligence modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Intelligence Modifier
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the ranger.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A ranger is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light armor, medium armor, and shields.
Great Hunter: The ranger is the most skilled of trackers. At 1st level, and each additional ranger level thereafter, the ranger gains 1 additional skill point that must be spent on the Wilderness Lore skill. Further, the ranger gains the Track feat (see Player’s Handbook, chapter 5). All requirements for this feat are waived for the ranger. At 9th level, the distance the ranger may follow tracks before having to make an additional check is doubled (2 miles). At 17th level, this distance is tripled (3 miles).
Woodcraft: Starting at 2nd level, once per day, the ranger gains a +4 competence bonus to any one skill check with one of the ranger’s class skills while outdoors. This ability provides a +6 bonus that may be used twice per day at 8th level, a +8 bonus three times per day at 14th level, and a +10 bonus four times per day at 20th level.
Hard Living: The ranger’s lifestyle has toughened him. At 3rd level, the ranger gains a +1 natural armor bonus. At 11th level, this bonus increases to +2.
Special Ability: At 4th level, the ranger gains his choice of one of the following abilities. Each ability may be chosen only once, unless otherwise stated in the ability’s description. The ranger gains an additional ability of his choice at 7th level, and every three levels thereafter.
Beast Affinity: The ranger receives a +4 bonus to Animal Empathy checks targeting beasts (this offsets the –4 penalty normally imposed for using this skill with beasts). Rangers of 13th level or higher may choose this ability a second time, gaining the ability to use there Animal Empathy skill on magical beasts, though they suffer a –4 circumstance penalty to their checks when doing so.
Covered Tracks: The DC to track the ranger is increased by the ranger’s class level. If the ranger is traveling in a group with characters who do not have this ability, he may instead increase the DC to track the group by one half (round down) his ranger level.
Familiar: The ranger gains a familiar, as described in the sorcerer class ability of the same name (see Player’s Handbook, chapter 3). However, the ranger uses only one-half of his ranger level (rounded up) when determining the familiar’s abilities based on its Master’s Class Level. These reduced levels stack with those of any other class with the familiar ability. Rangers of 13th level or higher may choose this ability a second time, gaining a second familiar. The second familiar may be the same type of creature, but the bonuses from the second familiar do not stack with those of the first.
Fast Tracking: The ranger may move at 3/4 his normal movement rate while tracking.
New Foes: Rangers of 7th level or higher may select an additional type of creature to be included in his Favored Enemies ability with the same restrictions for humanoid and outsider types (see below). He gains all of his Favored Enemies bonuses against this new type, and the Knowledge (favored enemy type) skill for the new type becomes a class skill for the ranger. This ability may be chosen multiple times, each time identifying a new creature type to become one of the ranger’s favored enemies.
Slayer: Rangers of 7th level or higher may increase their threat range when attacking a Favored Enemy by 1 (if using a ranged weapon, this bonus only applies within the weapon’s first range increment). This has no effect on enemies that are not subject to critical hits (such as oozes or undead). Rangers of 13th level or higher may choose this ability a second time, increasing the ranger’s threat range by 2 against his favored enemies.
Stride: When performing overland movement, the ranger may walk for up to 12 hours per day without difficulty (increasing the distance covered by 50%). The ranger may also hustle for up to 4 hours each day before taking damage normally. If the ranger is leading a party including character’s without this ability, he may reduce his rate to aid other. The entire party may walk for up to 10 hours per day (gaining an additional 25% over the norm) or hustle for up to 2 hours before taking damage.
Weather eye: the ranger may make a Wilderness Lore check (1 minute; DC 25) to accurately predict the weather for the next 24 hours. The ranger must be outdoors to make this prediction.
Wilderness Stealth: If the ranger has 5 or more ranks in Wilderness Lore, he gains a +2 Synergy bonus to all Hide and Move Silently checks in a natural setting.
Words of the enemy: Rangers of 7th level or higher may choose to becomes fluent in any 3 automatic languages spoken by creatures of his Favored Enemies type. For example, a ranger with Elementals as favored enemies could learn any three of the elemental languages with this ability. This ability may be taken multiple times. Each time the ranger selects three new languages spoken by his Favored Enemies.
Favored Enemies: The ranger is a hunter, skilled in the elimination of dangerous foes who threaten his people. At 5th level, the ranger may select a type of creature (animals, beasts, dragons, undead, etc.) as his favored enemy. He may not select “Humanoid” or “Outsider”, but may select a more narrowly defined type within those groups (such as goblinoids or humans for ‘humanoid’ and devils or elementals for ‘outsider’). The ranger may select his own race, but murder remains an evil act. Due to his careful study of these foes, he gains several advantages, adding his Wisdom modifer (if positive) to all attack and damage rolls against his favored enemy (if using a ranged weapon, these bonuses only apply within the weapon’s first range increment). He also gains this bonus to all Listen, Spot, and Wilderness Lore skill checks targeting these creatures, and to all Bluff and Sense Motive checks targeting them during combat.
At 15th level, the rangers attacks may do damage to favored enemies with damage reduction. All of his attacks against favored are considered to have an enhancement bonus equal to the ranger's Wisdom modifier (if positive), unless the ranger's weapon already has a higher enhancement bonus. This does not actually grant a bonus to the attack roll.
Ambusher: At 6th level, the ranger receives a +2 bonus to all awareness checks to determine surprise at the beginning of combat (see Player’s Handbook, chapter 8). Further, if the ranger has at least 1 minute to prepare an ambush, the DC of all opponent’s awareness checks are increased by +2. Both of these bonuses are increased to +4 at 6th level, and +6 at 18th level.
BAB - High
Fort - High
Ref - Low
Will - Low
Lvl – Special
1 – Great hunter (Track)
2 – Woodcraft +4 1/day
3 – Hard living +1
4 – Special ability
5 – Favored enemies
6 – Ambusher +2
7 – Special ability
8 – Woodcraft +6 2/day
9 – Great hunter (x2)
10 – Special ability
11 – Hard living +2
12 – Ambusher +4
13 – Special ability
14 – Woodcraft +8 3/day
15 – Favored enemies
16 – Special ability
17 – Great hunter (x3)
18 – Ambusher +6
19 – Special ability
20 – Woodcraft +10 4/day
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. There are really long hours involved in making it a paying proposition.
