Belkar's ranger spells

[joela]

Excuse me if this has already been posted, but has Belkar been shown using his ranger spells in the OotS comic strips so far?

[MLMII]

Just a scroll once after V used magic to raise his WIS. Normally Belkar's WIS is too low to cast spells.

[Jaxzan Proditor]

Belkar has an ability score penalty in Wisdom, so he cannot cast any spells unless his Wisdom is raised. All he really does is stab people, as far as fighting goes.

[factotum]

Yeah, he presumably only picked Ranger as his class for the two-weapon fighting stuff--he can't cast spells, he can't track, and until recently he didn't have any sort of animal companion either.

[Angelalex242]

Funny thing about Belkar...for all his blood knight maniac tendencies...

We don't even know what his favored enemies are! He should have a few by now.

Goblinoid would be an obvious pick for that beautiful 'sexy shoeless god of war' shot...

But he should still have a couple more.

Anyways, I predict he'll meet his demise without ever casting a single ranger spell or putting a skill point in survival.

[TurtlesAWD]

I always had the impression that Kobold was on Belkar's favored enemy list, given his reaction to even non-linear guild associated kobolds such as the oracle.

[Unisus]

Yes, i also thought it's canonical that kobolds are Belkar's favorite enemies.

[Angelalex242]

So, Goblinoids, Kobolds (is there a greater category for kobolds? Nobody likes being limited to a single race...), and one other thing, as he's a 11+ level Ranger.

[DaggerPen]

I can't find where the Giant said this, but IIRC, the Giant said once in an interview that he once DM'd a group where one of the rangers had humans as a favored enemy, and that that ranger partially inspired Belkar. My memory could be totally making things up, but given how much Belkar enjoys killing humans, I'd put good money on that being one of his favored enemies, possibly the first one he took.

[Angelalex242]

Aha! That'd do it then.

Humans, Goblinoids, Kobolds. He's supposed to have 3, so he's set for that.

Unless he's level 16, in which case, he might have 15 levels of ranger. But...he's also got barbarian levels, we're just not sure how many.

[Rogar Demonblud]

The fact he could suddenly start seeing traps in the pyramid might mean he picked up the barbarian's Trap Sense ability, which would get him Barb3. For more analysis, check out the class and level geekery thread.

Kobolds come under Humanoid-Reptilian, along with lizardmen and troglodytes.

[Darth Paul]

I'm sure Belkar would argue that "Everybody" qualified as a valid category for Favored Enemy. In any case, that's how he seems to treat it. :belkar:

[Werbaer]

I'm sure Belkar would argue that "Everybody" qualified as a valid category for Favored Enemy.
"Anyone who gets in his way, or looks like they might be thinking about getting anywhere sort of near his way at some unspecified future point". (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0489.html)

[b_jonas]

I'm sure Belkar would argue that "Everybody" qualified as a valid category for Favored Enemy. In any case, that's how he seems to treat it. :belkar:

Not everyone. He says right in strip #450: he doesn't bother with undead, they're no fun to kill. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0450.html)

[Quartz]

The fact he could suddenly start seeing traps in the pyramid might mean he picked up the barbarian's Trap Sense ability, which would get him Barb3.

No, that ability doesn't help him detect traps, only to avoid the trap (e.g. falling into an open pit) and the effects of the trap once it's activated:


Trap Sense (Ex)
Starting at 3rd level, a barbarian gains a +1 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks made by traps. These bonuses rise by +1 every three barbarian levels thereafter (6th, 9th, 12th, 15th, and 18th level). Trap sense bonuses gained from multiple classes stack.

Basically, he can spring traps more safely.

And Spot is not a Class Skill for Barbarians.

[Jaxzan Proditor]

And Spot is not a Class Skill for Barbarians.

So, is the fact that he can see traps evidence that he finally put some ranks into Spot?

[137beth]

So, Goblinoids, Kobolds (is there a greater category for kobolds? Nobody likes being limited to a single race...), and one other thing, as he's a 11+ level Ranger.
I'm guessing humans.

So, is the fact that he can see traps evidence that he finally put some ranks into Spot?

That, or the traps just weren't very well hidden. They weren't under pressure, so maybe he was taking 10, and the spot DCs were all nine or lower without the illusions.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Lower than that--he has a WIS penalty, after all.

[warrl]

Funny thing about Belkar...for all his blood knight maniac tendencies...

We don't even know what his favored enemies are! He should have a few by now.

I'll go with "sapient living beings".

[BobTheDog]

Aha! That'd do it then.

Humans, Goblinoids, Kobolds. He's supposed to have 3, so he's set for that.

Unless he's level 16, in which case, he might have 15 levels of ranger. But...he's also got barbarian levels, we're just not sure how many.

He does mention how he wants to go back to his village and murder everyone in their sleep, so maybe Halfling are one of his favorite enemy choices.

[Devils_Advocate]

I think that ogres, humans, and especially kobolds are the only specific types of creature that we've ever seen Belkar express any particular desire to kill. That would make his probable favored enemies Giants, Humans, and Reptilian Humanoids.

That he's fought a lot of goblinoids seems to be mostly a matter of circumstance; he just wound up joining a party on a quest to destroy a lich with a bunch of goblin and then hobgoblin minions.

[Darth Paul]

He does mention how he wants to go back to his village and murder everyone in their sleep, so maybe Halfling are one of his favorite enemy choices.

On a slightly related topic- one of my players wanted to craft "Arrows of Jerk Slaying", on the theory that once per day, he could state, "I want to slay (pointing to enemy) that Jerk right there."

"Jerk" wasn't the exact word he used, but this is a clean forum.

[evileeyore]

On a slightly related topic- one of my players wanted to craft "Arrows of Jerk Slaying", on the theory that once per day, he could state, "I want to slay (pointing to enemy) that Jerk right there."

"Jerk" wasn't the exact word he used, but this is a clean forum.
Mmmm... now I want a magic weapon of Slaying and Jerking for my cannibal halfling.

[terenes]

I've never played with ranger in 3.5 so I have to ask:

If Belkar gains some more Wisdom (to cast spells), will there be any "gamechangers" on his spellist? Or just some little help here and there?

[Morty]

The ranger spell list is best described as occasionally mildly useful. Belkar's honestly not losing that much by being unable to use it.

[Terrador]

Assuming Belkar is an 11th-level Ranger and is given a Periapt of Wisdom +4 or +6 to give him 12-13 WIS, he would have two first-level spells and a second-level spell every day. First-level options that Belkar would be fairly likely to use include the following, for prior issues and current combat choices:
-Charm Animal
-Endure Elements
-Jump
-Longstrider
-Resist Energy

None of these would sway the game at all, though Entangle would actually be useful lockdown even in Kraagor's tomb, as many of the creatures may be landlocked and therefore vulnerable to the debuff. Belkar would be unlikely to do that, though.

Second-level options Belkar seems likely to use would include the following, seeing as he's very combat-oriented and likely to use these resources to buff himself:
-Barkskin
-Bear's Endurance
-Cat's Grace
-Protection from Energy

Again, there are a handful of useful harrying options here, including Wind Wall, Spike Growth, and Snare.

Overall: tons of potential for fun here, but nothing that could significantly impact any combat the Order would already have trouble with.

[factotum]

Of course, Belkar would also need the intelligence to realise what the best spells to use in any situation would be, so you'd best add some sort of intelligence-boosting item to the list of requirements there, too. :smallsmile:

[Terrador]

Of course, Belkar would also need the intelligence to realise what the best spells to use in any situation would be, so you'd best add some sort of intelligence-boosting item to the list of requirements there, too. :smallsmile:

I'm going with stuff he already knows about and appreciates, while noting that a lot of the best spells are things he wouldn't use. He likes to get in there personally, so he'll be using his buffs, and he would want to not be a friggen hobbit fajita again, so he would be likely to at least consider the resistances. Note that Owl's Wisdom isn't on the list, because he's not smart enough to consider a spell that boosts a mental score.

[Rogar Demonblud]

His most useful spells would probably be things he could cast on his animal companions. Imagine Mr Scruffy or Bloodfeast with Magic Fang.

That's something he would find amusing, I think.

[Sartharina]

Belkar's favored enemies, if I recall, are:
1. Humans.
2. Reptilian Humanoids
3. Undead

[Jaxzan Proditor]

Belkar's favored enemies, if I recall, are:
1. Humans.
2. Reptilian Humanoids
3. Undead

I don't think it's ever been specifically mentioned. Those are pretty good guesses, but it's hard to be sure, especially when Belkar hates just about everything that moves.

[Jay R]

Don't forget Vaarsuvius's theory (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0335.html).

Regardless of what specific enemies the rules let him have plusses against, his actual preferred enemies might be "anybody he doesn't lust after".

[rodneyAnonymous]

Rangers are druid/fighters in the same way that paladins are cleric/fighters; there's a lot of overlap between the ranger (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spellLists/rangerSpells.htm) and druid (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spellLists/druidSpells.htm) spell lists. The best spell on the ranger list is probably tree stride (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/treeStride.htm), but that's a kind of teleport, so even if Belkar had access to magic he would be denied access to that spell somehow. In theory he could be roughly as good a healer as Elan, and also have some neat plant and animal tricks (hold animal would have come in handy a bazillion times), but like other people have said, he just stabs things.

[Jay R]

Don't forget Vaarsuvius's theory (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0335.html).

Regardless of what specific enemies the rules let him have plusses against, his actual preferred enemies might be "anybody he doesn't lust after".^ "Favored enemy" is a ranger class mechanic with gameplay consequences; there is a list of favored enemies you can choose from and "anybody he doesn't lust after" is not on it.

Yes, I know. That's why I phrased it carefully, so anybody could see the contrast I made between "specific enemies the rules let him have plusses against," and "actual preferred enemies".

[rodneyAnonymous]

That is also why I deleted that section, before you posted :)

[Kish]

Rangers are druid/fighters in the same way that paladins are cleric/fighters; their spell selection is a subset of the druid list (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spellLists/druidSpells.htm).
Old, obsolete information. That's the way it was in 2ed. Not now.

I go to the SRD to find a counterexample and...First ranger spell I click on (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/alarm.htm) is one druids never get. I'm not going to keep checking because one is enough. The accurate statement is, "There's a lot of overlap between the ranger and druid spell list, between the paladin and cleric spell list, and between the bard and wizard/sorcerer spell list." None of those is a subset or a superset of any other.

[rodneyAnonymous]

One sentence fragment in my helpful/informative post was not strictly accurate; oh no! Yes I played 2E a ton and 3E only a little. It remains true that 3.x rangers are basically druid/fighters and paladins are basically cleric/fighters, although there are also unique aspects to those classes (that isn't all they are and I don't think that was implied by my post). "Like a druid/fighter" is the first thing I'd say to someone who asked what a D&D ranger is. The joke about Nale being multi-classed depends on bards being basically rogue/sorcerer/fighters, it was an unnecessarily complicated way to achieve roughly the same goal.

The spell list subset thing was an extremely minor error to be so confrontational about.

[Kish]

I think you're missing a key part of the joke with Nale, that in the name of "not being underpowered" he created a faux-bard that was distinctly inferior to the actual bard, not the same.

[rodneyAnonymous]

Nope. Jeez. Note that the above does not contradict, undermine, or in any other way affect what I said; he can only "create a faux-bard" that way if what I said is true. In other words: the joke depends on it. The power level thing is a facet of the joke that I didn't mention because it wasn't really relevant, not because I don't get it.

Seriously, please back off.

[Synar]

Wow, you both need to cool of, you are basically arguing about rdiculous details althought you both agree with one another. However, I would like to point out that rangers also get lots of very good archery spells.

[warrl]

And just for reference purposes, in 4E a ranger is not a druid at all. Or any other sort of spellcaster. He puts the hurt on with weapons.

On the other hand, depending on how you build and play it, a 4E ranger can easily be a ranged area effect. Much like, oh, a fireball. And that's with a melee weapon.

(I happen to think that 4E is the best version of D&D to date, and I started with AD&D. Next version? They are taking 2E as a base, identifying what made 4E better, and carefully eradicating every trace of it.)