[PEACH] Variant 3.5 Ranger

[Golden-Esque]

Well, instead of resorting myself to bumping my new Bard v2.0 thread that fell off the front-page radar like some sleazy necromancer, I just decided to post this little piece I've been working on to get some opinions on it.

Be forewarned before you read on (and please do!); my experience with playing as a ranger is much more limited (well, to be fair, I never technically played as a Paladin and I have played a Bard, so maybe this is the streak I'm looking for :P) then it was with the Bard, so we'll see how this whole thing works out. If I didn't mention it before, I'm using all of this in a campaign I'm running soon, so any and all help is very, very appreciated!

The Ranger
{table=head] Level | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special
01 | +1 | +2 | +2 | +0 | Tactical Strike 1/Day, Track, Wild Empathy
02 | +2 | +3 | +3 | +0 | Combat Style
03 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +1 | Woodland Stride
04 | +4 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Animal Companion
05 | +5 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Tactical Strike 2/Day
06 | +6/+1 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Evasion
07 | +7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Quick Tracker
08 | +8/+3 | +6 | +6 | +2 | Improved Combat Style
09 | +9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +3 | Woodland Sprint
10 | +10/+5 | +7 | +7 | +3 | Tactical Strike 3/Day
11 | +11/+6/+1 | +7 | +7 | +3 | Camoflague
12 | +12/+7/+2 | +8 | +8 | +4 | Improved Evasion
13 | +13/+8/+3 | +8 | +8 | +4 | Swift Tracker
14 | +14/+9/+4 | +9 | +9 | +4 | Greater Combat Style
15 | +15/+10/+5 | +9 || +9 | +5 | Tactical Strike 4/Day
16 | +16/+11/+6/+1 | +10 | +10 | +5 | Vigor
17 | +17/+12/+7/+2 | +10 | +10 | +5 | Hide in Plain Sight
18 | +18/+13/+8/+3 | +11 | +11 | +6 | Nature's Path
19 | +19/+14/+9/+4 | +11 | +11 | +6 | Track at a Glance
20 | +20/+15/+10/+5 | +12 | +12 | +6 | Death to the Enemy, Tactical Strike 5/Day[/table]

Ranger Class Features

Weapons and Armor Proficiency

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A ranger is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and with light armor and shields (except tower shields).

Maneuvers

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A 1st level ranger starts with the knowledge of three martial maneuvers. The disciplines available to a ranger are Diamond Mind, Falling Star, Tiger's Fury, White Raven. Once a ranger knows a maneuver, they must ready it before they can use it. A maneuver usable by ranger is considered an extraordinary ability unless otherwise noted in its description. A ranger's maneuvers are not affected by spell resistance, and initiating a maneuver does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

A ranger learns additional maneuvers at higher levels, as shown on Table: Ranger Maneuvers below. A ranger must meet the prerequisites for a maneuver before he or she can learn it. Table: Ranger Maneuvers also lists the maximum Maneuver Level a ranger can use at a given level.

Upon reaching 4th level, and at every even-numbered ranger level after that (6th, 8th, 10th, and so on), a ranger can choose to learn a new maneuver in place of one he or she already knows. In effect, the ranger looses the old maneuver in exchange for the new one. A ranger may choose a new maneuver of any level they like, so long as the ranger observes the restriction on the highest-level maneuvers they know; a ranger need not replace the old maneuver with one of the same level, and a ranger can only swap a single maneuver for another one at any given level.

Table: Ranger Maneuvers
{table=head] Level | Maneuvers Known | Maneuvers Ready | Stances Known | Max. Maneuver Level
01 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1st
02 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1st
03 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 2nd
04 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2nd
05 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 3rd
06 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 3rd
07 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 4th
08 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 4th
09 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 5th
10 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 5th
11 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 6th
12 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 6th
13 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 7th
14 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 7th
15 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 8th
16 | 11 | 6 | 4 | 8th
17 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 9th
18 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 9th
19 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 9th
20 | 13 | 7 | 4 | 9th[/table]

Maneuvers Readied

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A ranger can ready all three of the maneuvers they know at 1st level, but as the ranger advances in level and learns more maneuvers, they must choose which maneuvers to ready. A ranger readies a maneuver by exercising for 5 minutes. The maneuvers the ranger chooses remain readied until the ranger decides to exercise again and change them. The ranger need not sleep or rest for any long period of time to ready their maneuvers; any time the ranger spends 5 minutes practicing allows the ranger to change their ready maneuvers.

A ranger begins an encounter with all their readied maneuvers unexpended, regardless of how many times they might have used them since the maneuvers were chosen. When the ranger initiates a maneuver, it is expended for the current encounter, so each readied maneuver may be used one per encounter until they are recovered.

A ranger can recover all expended maneuvers with a single full round action, during which the ranger draws upon their bond with nature. Recovering expended maneuvers does not provoke an attack of opportunity, but the ranger does loose the benefits of their stance until the start of their next round while recovering their maneuvers. Although the ranger is no longer in their battle stance, he or she is not defenseless against oncoming attacks; the ranger is not considered flat-foot or prone while embracing nature.

Stances Known

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A ranger begins play with knowledge of one 1st-level stance from any discipline open to ranger. At 4th, 10th, and 16th level, a ranger may choose additional stances. Unlike maneuvers, stances are not expended, and you do not have to ready them. All the stances the ranger knows are available to them at all times and a ranger can change stances as a swift action. A stance is an extraordinary ability unless otherwise stated in the stance description. Unlike with maneuvers, a ranger cannot learn a new stance at higher levels in place of one they already know.

Tactical Strike (Ex)

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A ranger often teaches themselves about the various creatures that inhabit the world and the most effective ways to hunt and destroy them. Upon reaching 1st level, a ranger selects one of the creature categories listed below and selects it as their favored enemy. Once per day, the ranger can make a tactical strike against a creature that falls within the category of their favored enemy. The ranger adds their Intelligence bonus (if any) to the attack roll. If the strike is successful, the ranger deals bonus damage equal to their ranger level.

At 5th level and every 5 levels thereafter, a ranger can use their Tactical Strike ability one additional time per day, to a maximum of 5 times per day at 20th level.

Combat Style

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A ranger has a unique fighting still that they use to hunt their foes. Starting at 2nd level, a ranger selects a combat style from among the various combat styles listed below, and based on those combat styles he or she has access to different Martial Disciplines and gains new special abilities as he or she increases in level. Once this choice has been made, it cannot be redone.

Archery
The ranger favors bows, longbows, and crossbows over all other weapons. The ranger gains Rapid Shot as a bonus feat, even if he or she doesn't meet the prerequisites for this feat. The ranger looses the benefits of their Combat Style if he or she is wearing Medium or Heavy armor, or if they are carrying a medium or heavy load.

A ranger who takes this combat style must select two disciplines from among the Martial Disciplines granted to rangers and bar them. A ranger cannot learn any maneuvers from their barred disciplines. A ranger who selects the archery combat style cannot bar the Falling Star Discipline.

Dual Wield
The ranger favors a mix of light weapons; one in each hand. The ranger gains Two-Weapon Fighting as a bonus feat, even if he or she doesn't meet the prerequisites for this feat. The ranger looses the benefits of their Combat Style if he or she is wearing Medium or Heavy armor, or if they are carrying a medium or heavy load.

A ranger who takes this combat style must select two disciplines from among the Martial Disciplines granted to rangers and bar them. A ranger cannot learn any maneuvers from their barred disciplines. A ranger who selects the dual wield combat style cannot bar the Diamond Mind Discipline.

Sword and Board
The ranger favored a lgiht weapon accompanied by a shield. The ranger gains Improved Shield Bash as a bonus feat, even if he or she doesn't meet the prerequisites for this feat. The ranger looses the benefits of their Combat Style if he or she is wearing Medium or Heavy armor, or if they are carrying a medium or heavy load.

A ranger who takes this combat style must select two disciplines from among the Martial Disciplines granted to rangers and bar them. A ranger cannot learn any maneuvers from their barred disciplines. A ranger who selects the sword and board combat style cannot bar the White Raven Discipline.

Two Handed
The ranger favors a large weapon that requires the use of both their hands to weild. The ranger gains Power Attack as a bonus feat, even if he or she doesn't meet the prerequisites for this feat. The ranger looses the benefits of their Combat Style if he or she is wearing Medium or Heavy armor, or if they are carrying a medium or heavy load.

A ranger who takes this combat style must select two disciplines from among the Martial Disciplines granted to rangers and bar them. A ranger cannot learn any maneuvers from their barred disciplines. A ranger who selects the dual wield combat style cannot bar the Tiger's Fury Discipline.

Woodland Stride (Ex)

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Starting at 3rd level, a ranger may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at their normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that are enchanted or magically manipulated to impede motion still affect him or her.

Animal Companion (Ex)

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At 4th level, a ranger gains an [[[animal companion]]]. This ability functions like the druid ability of the same name, except that the ranger’s effective druid level is one-half their ranger level. A ranger may select from the alternative lists of animal companions just as a druid can, though again his effective druid level is half his ranger level. Like a druid, a ranger cannot select an alternative animal if the choice would reduce his effective druid level below 1st.

Spells

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Beginning at 4th level, a ranger gains the ability to cast a small number of divine spells, which are drawn from the ranger spell list. A ranger must choose and prepare their spells in advance (see below). To prepare or cast a spell, a ranger must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a ranger’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the ranger’s Wisdom modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a ranger can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Their base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Ranger Spells below. In addition, s ranger receives bonus spells per day if they have a high Wisdom score. When Table: Ranger Spells indicates that the ranger gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level, he or she gains only the bonus spells they would be entitled to based on their Wisdom score for that spell level. The ranger does not have access to any domain spells or granted powers, as a cleric does. A ranger prepares and casts spells the way a cleric does, though they cannot lose a prepared spell to cast a cure spell in its place. A ranger may prepare and cast any spell on the ranger spell list, provided that they can cast spells of that level, but he or she must choose which spells to prepare during their daily meditation. Through 3rd level, a ranger has no caster level. At 4th level and higher, their caster level is one-half his ranger level.

Table: Ranger Spells per Day

Evasion (Ex)

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At 6th level, a ranger can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If he or she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, the ranger instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the ranger is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless ranger does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Quick Tracker

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Beginning at 7th level, a ranger can move at their normal speed while following tracks without taking the normal -5 penalty. A ranger takes only a -10 penalty (instead of the normal -20) when moving at up to twice normal speed while tracking.

Improved Combat Style

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At 8th level, the ranger's combat style improves, granting them new powers.

Archery
The ranger gains Manyshot as a bonus feat, even if he or she doesn't meet the normal prerequisites for the feat. The ranger looses the bonuses of their combat style while wearing Medium or Heavy armor, or while carrying a medium or heavy load.

Dual Wield
The ranger gains Improved Two-Weapon Fighting as a bonus feat, even if he or she doesn't meet the normal prerequisites for the feat. The ranger looses the bonuses of their combat style while wearing Medium or Heavy armor, or while carrying a medium or heavy load.

Sword and Board
The ranger gains Shield Charge as a bonus feat, even if he or she doesn't meet the normal prerequisites for the feat. The ranger looses the bonuses of their combat style while wearing Medium or Heavy armor, or while carrying a medium or heavy load.

Two Handed
The ranger gains Cleave as a bonus feat, even if he or she doesn't meet the normal prerequisites for the feat. The ranger looses the bonuses of their combat style while wearing Medium or Heavy armor, or while carrying a medium or heavy load.

Woodland Sprint (Ex)

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Starting at 9th level, a ranger's woodland stride ability improves, allowing them to take full movements (4x movement rate) without taking damage or suffering any other impairment through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain). As with Woodland Stride, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that are enchanted or magically manipulated to impede motion still affect the ranger.

Camoflague

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A ranger of 11th level or higher can use the Hide skill in any sort of natural terrain, even if the terrain doesn’t grant cover or concealment.

Improved Evasion (Ex)

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At 12th level, the ranger's agility becomes so great that he or she only takes half damage when they fail a Reflex saving throw. As with Evasion, a helpess ranger looses the benefits of Improved Evasion.

Swift Tracker (Ex)

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At 13th level, a ranger takes only a -5 penalty while following tracks at twice their normal speed, and they gain the ability to follow tracks at up to four times their normal speed, abet a -10 penalty.

Greater Combat Style

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At 14th level, the ranger's mastery with their combat style increases again, granting them an additional feat.

Archery
The ranger gains Improved Precise Shot as a bonus feat. The ranger looses the benefits of their combat style if he or she wears medium or heavy armor, or carries a medium or heavy load.

Dual Wield
The ranger gains Improved Two-Weapon Fighting as a bonus feat. The ranger looses the benefits of their combat style if he or she wears medium or heavy armor, or carries a medium or heavy load.

Sword and Board
The ranger gains Shield Slam as a bonus feat. The ranger looses the benefits of their combat style if he or she wears mediumn or heavy armor.

Two Handed
The ranger gains Improved Cleave as a bonus feat. The ranger looses the benefits of their combat style if he or she wears medium or heavy armor.

Vigor (Ex)

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At 16th level, the ranger relishes in the achievement of slaying their enemies so much that they feel energized by the deed. Whenever a ranger deals damage with their tactical strike ability, any maneuvers they have readied that are exhausted are instantly readied.

Hide in Plain Sight (Ex)

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While in any sort of natural terrain, a ranger of 17th level or higher can use the Hide skill even while being observed.

Nature's Path (Sp)

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Once per day, a ranger of 18th level or higher can call upon the feywilds to open a gate to wherever they need to be. This power works exactly like //[[[treestride]]]//, except the ranger can stride through any of the natural features listed below. The ranger must always end this ability by exiting a natural feature made of roughly the same material as the object first entered (tree to tree, rock to rock, water to water, etc).

* Any Body of Water (the total volume of both bodies of water must equal to or exceed that of the ranger's).
* Any Natural (non-sculpted) rock formation, such as mountains, boulders, ect (the rock formation must be at least as tall and wide as the ranger).
* Any plantlife, including trees and hedges (the plant must be at least as tall and wide as the ranger).

Track at a Glance (Ex)

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At 19th level, the ranger can effortlessly track creatures. They do not recieve any penalties for tracking while moving at their normal speed or twice their normal speed, and they only suffer a -5 penalty for tracking at four times their normal speed.

Death to the Enemy (Ex)

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At 20th level, a ranger knows how to hit enemies where it hurts. A ranger's weapon(s) are always treated as if they had the keen and bane properties when used against their favored enemies.

[Golden-Esque]

Okay, here's my thoughts on this one.

The most important thing I'll save in this post is this statement. The Falling Star Discipline belongs to our own Fax Celestis. If I presented it like it was my own, I am sorry. To see his thread on the (in my opinion) awesome Falling Star Discipline, you can follow this link.

With that aside I'm pretty fond of this Ranger build, to be honest, but it definitely has a lot of fluff abilities. I'm wondering how theoretically useful some of these abilities are.

This one is to long-time Ranger experts; I want people's opnions on dropping the Favored Enemy feature for a Smite-like option. It was kinda easier to balance, in my opinion, with the maneuvers (especially Falling Star, which gives a LOT of + damage), and Favored Enemy (now Tactics) being an offensive burst move kinda made sense to me.

As always, questions and comments are welcome and critics and concerns are awesome, so long as you can illiterate your point. I'm pretty stubborn; I'm going to try to defend my work, so CRUSH MY RANGER SPIRIT!

That's all :).

Oh! And please do fall for my seductive trap and check out the remastered bard.

[Dienekes]

you first need to fix your table boyo

[Golden-Esque]

you first need to fix your table boyo

Thanks :).

It's amazing how one keystroke too much can mess up an entire table.