3.5 Ranger alternate class features

[Yomega]

Hello all I have a player in my game who is playing a ranger with several alternate class features

Champion of the wild
Heat endurance
Spiritual companion and
Spiritual connection

While I have no problem with any of them particularly the player knows that we are playing an extra planer adventure and Im not sure if I should alow spiritual companion to work outside of a natural enviroment. The RAW sais the companion leaves you when you enter a urban area and returns when you leave but what about if there on the elemental plane of fire or in the nine layers of hell? Or one of the more nature sentric planes like Ysgard (the pc is from that plane)

Also speaking to plants and animals from spiritual connection Im thinking a plant is a plant no matter where you are but would any native to an outer plane count as an animal if its int is low enough cause there type would be outsider technicaly since there there from the outside planes?

So my problem is I dont want to sell him short but he is aware that this campain would take place all over existance so I dont want to just give them a free pass I kept my world very open so I figure they can work within the world I set up but at the same time I dont see it breaking anything so Im inclined to just let it work.

[Morbis Meh]

Let him use it, it's not like it's game breaking by any means and why nerf one of the weaker classes? As long as he remains outside of an urban area there should be no problem. A wizard doesn't lose spells when they change planes because magic works differently on other planes. Cut the guy some slack and don't sweat the small stuff like that besides it's a spiritual companion so it should be able to follow like a regular animal companion would.

[Yomega]

Thanks a lot I was figuring the same but I really wanted a second opinion altho if its always gonna be the same spirit I guess I will make him name it haha

[ravagerofworlds]

My understanding of the Ranger animal companion is that... the animal has a specific terrain that it is comfortable in. You don't bring a wolf from the forest into the desert unless the desert is one of a wolf's natural terrains.

I'd suggest that each plane is its own terrain. Look at the Horizon Walker, the plane traveling prestige class built for a ranger for more about it.

The druid and ranger in my group are loathe to leave their native countries simply because they do not want to lose their animal companions. But those forest wolves are adios when they head to the arctic circle and are better off picking up a seal or a polar bear.

[God Imperror]

I am quite sure that your understanding is wrong in the matter...

The source for animal companions in the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/druid.htm#animalCompanion) doesn't say that the animal companion leaves the druid unless the druid decides to dismiss it.

[Yomega]

Also animal comanion is fairly moot here as spiritual companion replaces that feature with a scaling bonus to several skills but no atual stats on the spirit witch brings me to a new problem

Altho I dont make a habbit of taking away my players toys every now and then its usefull to know how to mess with features, how can I negate or hinder or hell corrup the nature spirit on the fly?

[kitcik]

I am not familiar with the spiritual companion ACF - could it be possessed?

[Morbis Meh]

Also animal comanion is fairly moot here as spiritual companion replaces that feature with a scaling bonus to several skills but no atual stats on the spirit witch brings me to a new problem

Altho I dont make a habbit of taking away my players toys every now and then its usefull to know how to mess with features, how can I negate or hinder or hell corrup the nature spirit on the fly?

An enemy spirit Shaman would do the trick...lol but as saying it's not overly powerful and has no where near the destructive capability of a wizards familiar....

[Yomega]

I like the spirit shawman angle and I could use his "bonus" to lead them into expressly dangerous situations

[Urpriest]

In terms of animals and plants, remember that many actual animals on other planes do in fact have the animal type. It's only the ones with higher Int or magical powers that are magical beasts.

[eggs]

The spiritual guide isn't an actual creature. It's a small spot/listen/handle animal/couple other skills buff that activates outside urban areas and a 1/day Commune with Nature SLA. It shouldn't be possessable. If the goal is just to screw up a weak feature of a weak class, the information from Commune with Nature would probably be the ripest angle to take. But trying to turn a small flavor texty numeric bonus against its user seems like you're stretching, just to make a low blow.

Heat Endurance and Champion of the Wild, if anything, are steps down from the Ranger's base features, and a couple divination SLAs aren't going to break anything. On the Speak with Animals, SLA, Animals are a very specific creature type; if a creature is of that type, the SLA should work, if not, it doesn't.

You *could* buff it up to apply to animal-like creatures on other planes, but that just seems like a recipe for quarreling over which creatures qualify (and besides, someone will probably have the language to talk to them anyway); I don't think it'd be worth the effort.

[Yomega]

The player expressly didnt want an animal companion he gets endurance as a bonus feat from his race I advised against losing his spellcasting for a couple feats but he insisted and spiritual conection vs animal empathy seems a fair split.

But if anything screwing with the character would generaly be used to advance the story not to be a **** for the sake of being one.

We are definatly a more role playing group but I like to have thing backed up mechanicaly when I can

[White_Drake]

I'm curious, why did you advise the Ranger to ditch his spellcasting? :smallconfused: It's not the best in the world, but it's sure better than being completely mundane.

[sleepyphoenixx]

I don't think you have much to worry about since he's pretty much a fighter
with less feats and a few gimmicks with those choices.
I would allow the companion to function anywhere thats not explicitly a city.

As for spiritual connection, simply go by the creature types

I would be more concerned with his ability to keep up with the rest of the party.
A few extra skill points and feats won't keep him from falling behind quickly if your other players play any kind of non-fighter imo.

[Spuddles]

I'm curious, why did you advise the Ranger to ditch his spellcasting? :smallconfused: It's not the best in the world, but it's sure better than being completely mundane.

He didn't. He advised against it.

[White_Drake]

*facepalm* reading comprehension fail.

[Gavinfoxx]

Eh, I have a level 2 Ranger with lots of ACTs.

http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=302122

is it that big of a deal? Not Really.