Favoured Enemy Balance in a Cosmopolitan Setting

[Parvum]

I've always been a touch bothered by the little detail of how a ranger's favoured enemy class feature interacts with humanoids. The number of subtypes they need to choose from is almost as long as the list of other, more general creature types (and is much longer if you take noncore races into account). But in practice it isn't really an issue- typically, you'd fight themed dungeons of orcs or gnolls or humans as much as one filled with animals or oozes, so it wouldn't be much of a big deal. But what happens if you're trying to run a setting that is supposed to be considerably more cosmopolitan? If it is assumed that the standard dungeon fodder are no longer dungeon fodder but at worst thuggish bodyguards and at best equal citizens, the subtypes on the ranger's favoured enemy list start to become increasingly pointless.

I know it's possible to just do the themed bad guy parade anyways. Sure, you could fill the thing with all-human encounters or make every bad guy a goblin. But if a key element of the setting is the fantasy races all being forced under one roof and making it work, then constantly beheading orcs really doesn't back it up. Ideally, an encounter with dwarves, orcs, and ratfolk all together backs up the cosmopolitan elements much more strongly. But it also makes the total benefit of Favoured Enemy (Humanoid, Orc) much smaller.

Anyways, what I'm looking for is something that helps with classifying the ranger's favored enemies when it comes to humanoids. So far the only suggestion I've gotten is to lump groups of similar humanoids together, merging the classification for tengu and ratfolk, humans and elves and so on.I'm not sure, and I'm really hoping to get a few more suggestions on how, exactly, to deal with the issue. Eliminating the subtypes makes the bonus excessively versatile and powerful, so that's a no-go. Any ideas?

[Gildedragon]

I've always been a touch bothered by the little detail of how a ranger's favoured enemy class feature interacts with humanoids. The number of subtypes they need to choose from is almost as long as the list of other, more general creature types (and is much longer if you take noncore races into account). But in practice it isn't really an issue- typically, you'd fight themed dungeons of orcs or gnolls or humans as much as one filled with animals or oozes, so it wouldn't be much of a big deal. But what happens if you're trying to run a setting that is supposed to be considerably more cosmopolitan? If it is assumed that the standard dungeon fodder are no longer dungeon fodder but at worst thuggish bodyguards and at best equal citizens, the subtypes on the ranger's favoured enemy list start to become increasingly pointless.

I know it's possible to just do the themed bad guy parade anyways. Sure, you could fill the thing with all-human encounters or make every bad guy a goblin. But if a key element of the setting is the fantasy races all being forced under one roof and making it work, then constantly beheading orcs really doesn't back it up. Ideally, an encounter with dwarves, orcs, and ratfolk all together backs up the cosmopolitan elements much more strongly. But it also makes the total benefit of Favoured Enemy (Humanoid, Orc) much smaller.

Anyways, what I'm looking for is something that helps with classifying the ranger's favored enemies when it comes to humanoids. So far the only suggestion I've gotten is to lump groups of similar humanoids together, merging the classification for tengu and ratfolk, humans and elves and so on.I'm not sure, and I'm really hoping to get a few more suggestions on how, exactly, to deal with the issue. Eliminating the subtypes makes the bonus excessively versatile and powerful, so that's a no-go. Any ideas?

In cityscape or its web enhancement there is the option to substitute favored enemy [type/subtype] with favored enemy [organization]
So instead of going for Orcs (all orcs) you go for the Gruehands Clan, one of the local mafias which is perhaps mostly orcs, but hires dwarves to handle their spellcasting. You'd get your FE bonus against any member of that Clan.

[Glimbur]

You could also look at or possibly modify the retraining rules from PHB II, meaning the ranger can take a day off to read up on the weaknesses of lizardmen and shuffle his Favored Enemy around. Not ideal, but another thing to consider.

[Diovid]

In cityscape or its web enhancement there is the option to substitute favored enemy [type/subtype] with favored enemy [organization]
So instead of going for Orcs (all orcs) you go for the Gruehands Clan, one of the local mafias which is perhaps mostly orcs, but hires dwarves to handle their spellcasting. You'd get your FE bonus against any member of that Clan.
The cityscape variant is not quite favored enemy (organization) since the bonuses it gives are more aimed at non-combat interactions.

Rival Organization:

A few urban rangers, devoted to a particular organization, guild, or church, prefer to focus their studies and their efforts against a rival group, instead of a specific race.

Class: Ranger.

Level: 1st.

Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain favored enemy or any later improvements to that class feature.

Benefit: At 1st level, the ranger chooses one particular organization that he has studied in depth. This could be a guild, a noble house, a church, or any similar specifically defined entity. (See Chapter 3: Politics and Power in Cityscape for definitions and samples of these groups.) Due to his knowledge of how the organization operates, he gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Intimidate, Gather Information, Knowledge (local), and Sense Motive checks made against, or pertaining to, members of that organization. Likewise, due to his heightened awareness around these individuals, he gains a +2 bonus to Armor Class against members of this group.

At 5th level and every five levels thereafter (10th, 15th, and 20th level), the ranger may select an additional rival organization. In addition, at each such interval, the bonus against any one rival organization (including the one just selected, if so desired) increases by 2.

[Gildedragon]

The cityscape variant is not quite favored enemy (organization) since the bonuses it gives are more aimed at non-combat interactions.

Rival Organization:

A few urban rangers, devoted to a particular organization, guild, or church, prefer to focus their studies and their efforts against a rival group, instead of a specific race.

Class: Ranger.

Level: 1st.

Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain favored enemy or any later improvements to that class feature.

Benefit: At 1st level, the ranger chooses one particular organization that he has studied in depth. This could be a guild, a noble house, a church, or any similar specifically defined entity. (See Chapter 3: Politics and Power in Cityscape for definitions and samples of these groups.) Due to his knowledge of how the organization operates, he gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Intimidate, Gather Information, Knowledge (local), and Sense Motive checks made against, or pertaining to, members of that organization. Likewise, due to his heightened awareness around these individuals, he gains a +2 bonus to Armor Class against members of this group.

At 5th level and every five levels thereafter (10th, 15th, and 20th level), the ranger may select an additional rival organization. In addition, at each such interval, the bonus against any one rival organization (including the one just selected, if so desired) increases by 2.

Damn. I've been using it wrong. That's what happens when one doesn't read-member thoroughly. I remembered it had social bonuses, but I thought that was ontop of the combat stuff cause CS kinda posited more social interactions...
Welp.
Well the idea behind my misreading stands: target groups rather than 'types' and 'subtypes'

[supermonkeyjoe]

Damn. I've been using it wrong. That's what happens when one doesn't read-member thoroughly. I remembered it had social bonuses, but I thought that was ontop of the combat stuff cause CS kinda posited more social interactions...
Welp.
Well the idea behind my misreading stands: target groups rather than 'types' and 'subtypes'

You may have been looking at the Urban ranger variant:


Favored Enemy

At the game master's discretion, an urban ranger may select an organization instead of a creature type as his favored enemy. For example, a character might select a particular thieves' guild, merchant house, or even the city guard. The favored enemy bonuses would apply to all members of the chosen organization, regardless of their creature type or subtype.


Which works exactly as you described, TBH I let players choose if they want the offensive bonuses from favoured enemy or the defensive ones from rival organisation

[Metahuman1]

The groups thing is also in the Dragonlance books somewhere. I recall being in a game were I had a ranger for awhile (he died, evil party member started a fight with him then won.) that had favored enemy: The Dark Knights.


Anyway, maybe consider using the favored environment variant form UA? Just make up Favored Environment: Urban. Someone who specializes in tricks and tactics and fighting styles that get results in city's. Heck, doing that would actually make a variant of improved favored enemy and favored power attack form Complete Warrior worth taking!

[The Insanity]

I houseruled it to be one category - humanoids.

[GreenSerpent]

I'd suggest changing it to Favoured Enemy (small humanoid) and Favoured Enemy (medium humanoid) - that allows for some diversity. If necessary put in a Large Humanoid category too.