Rangers with no animal companion

[Aedilred]

Our group has a longstanding prejudice against animal companions of any sort; it's difficult to explain why, but we tend to find they don't fit our vision of the campaign world, get in the way, annoy other players at the table and tend to attract the ire of the DM. We're all pretty much agreed on this, which is fine, but where I've sacrificed my familiar for additional abilities, the party ranger has simply opted not to take an animal companion, which means he's given up a pretty useful class feature for nothing. We thought we'd take a look into what he could do in exchange.

Our DM is pretty accommodating and will likely approve anything so long as it's not obviously overpowered and doesn't openly with the way the campaign has gone so far. There's no theoretical limit on the sourcebooks we can access, although he has reserved the right to veto the odd thing individually. We have access to pretty much the whole Complete series, as well as the PHB II and DMG II and Unearthed Arcana.

So far I've come up with:

Urban Ranger - doesn't eliminate the companion entirely and in any case is probably inappropriate given the environs we tend to find ourselves in.

Planar Ranger - thematically appropriate but only substitutes the animal companion for a supernatural one.

The variant from the PHB II which allows a ranger to exchange their companion for counting their victims as flanked.

There are a couple of other variants which sacrifice spellcasting- which he doesn't use much either- but there's always a chance that he might, while we know he's never going to acquire a companion.

Does anyone know of any variants that I've missed? Alternatively, can anyone think of some balanced class features we could substitute for the animal companion?

[dsmiles]

Perhaps a minor wild shape-like feature? Shapechange into any animal the same size category as your natural form, and it's HD cannot exceed your ranger level (or something like that).

[Keld Denar]

Its called Simple Ranger, IIRC, and its in the SRD under varients (origionally featured in Unearthed Arcana). People around here typically call it Wildshape Ranger, because...you get Wildshape and Wildshape is GOOD!

[Coidzor]

Shooting Star substitution levels from Champions of Valor, I believe. can't remember what it gets ya though, I think extra spells per day and an SLA.

[Lucid]

There's the Mystic Ranger from dragon #336 which gets more spellcasting.
Another dragon magazine had a feature which lets you use your favored enemy bonus to attack rolls.

And iirc Complete Champion gives you a spirit which let's you use Commune with Nature several times/day.

[dsmiles]

Its called Simple Ranger, IIRC, and its in the SRD under varients (origionally featured in Unearthed Arcana). People around here typically call it Wildshape Ranger, because...you get Wildshape and Wildshape is GOOD!

Nope, not UA. PHB2 maybe? I don't have that book, but I'd like to know where that is for my next ranger-type character.

[Coidzor]

Nope, not UA. PHB2 maybe? I don't have that book, but I'd like to know where that is for my next ranger-type character.

As in no using UA? or...?

Ranger
A ranger might forgo training in weapon combat in exchange for the ability to take animal form and move swiftly through the woodlands.

Gain
Wild shape (as druid; Small or Medium animals only), fast movement (as barbarian).

Lose
Combat style, improved combat style, combat style mastery.

So, would lose combat style, not animal companion.

[dsmiles]

As in no using UA? or...?

No, just as in "not in the hard copy UA." At least, not in the February '04 printing.

[Prime32]

http://brilliantgameologists.com/boa...p?topic=7908.0

Arcane Hunter (CM, p 32): lose normal favored enemy, gain "Favored Enemy (Arcanists)"

Aquatic Ranger (SW, p 51): Track in water, apply woodland stride to aquatic terrain instead of woodland terrain.

Celestial Slayer (EoE, p 20): must be evil; lose wild empathy, animal companion, and woodland stride, gain SR vs. good spells/spell-likes and +4 to confirm crit. vs. good creatures

Champion of the Wild (CC, p 50): Lose spellcasting for bonus feats.

Crowd-Walker (CS, web): Exchange woodland stride for the ability to move in crowds more easily.

Distracting Attack (PHB 2, p 55): Lose animal companion. Whenever you hit with an attack, the enemy is then considered flanked.

Elf Ranger Substitution Levels (RW, p 155): d6 hitdice, 8 skill points
1st level: Elf Favored Enemy (extra bonus vs certain races)
4th level: Elven Hound Companion
10th level: Strongheart Slayer (+4 morale bonus on will saves vs. drow and driders, +4 for bonus vs spider venoms), lose a favored enemy

Half-Elf Ranger Substitution Levels (RD, p 158):
1st level: Urban Tracking, lose tracking
4th level: Street magic (swap spell lists)
13th level: Skill mastery, lose camouflage

Heat Endurance (SSt, p 48): Gain Heat Endurance, lose Endurance.

Fangshields Ranger Substitution Levels (CV, p 41): nonhumanoid, add Diplomacy
2nd level: Combat Style (Multiattack or Improved Natural Attack (single natural weapon), Weapon Focus (any natural weapon), Weapon Focus (any other natural weapon), or Greater Weapon Focus (single natural weapon))
4th level: Animal Companion (as druid of 1/2 ranger level +2)
5th level: Lion and the Unicorn (+1 sacred bonus to AC during day or night), replaces favored enemy

Feign Death (EoE, p 21): lose evasion, gain ability to appear dead

Gnome Ranger Substitution Levels (RS, p 149):
1st level: Gnome Favored Enemy (bonus with certain skills vs favored enemy instead of damage)
4th level: Burrowing Animal Companion (stronger animal companion, can't share spells with it)
8th level: Gnome Ranger Spells (switch some spells on list)

Hidden Stalker (CS, web): Lose camouflage and normal hide in plain site, gain the ability to hide more easily in urban settings.

Kobold Ranger Substitution Levels (RDr, p 109):
1st level: Kobold Favored Enemy (favored enemy works with different skills)
3rd level: Kobold Endurance replaces Endurance - not an actual ACF, see feat description p.101
4th level: Dire Weasel Companion, Kobold Ranger Spells (different spells)
7th level: Subterranean Stride (underground stride instead of woodland stride)

Phynxkin Companion (DrM, p 13): Gain a phynxkin instead of your normal animal companion.

Planar Ranger (UA, p 55): Wild empathy works better on fiendish/celestial creatures than it does on regular animals, may aquire a fiendish or celestial animal as a companion.

Planar Ranger (PlH, p 34): gain knowledge: the planes as a class skill
4th level: Planar Animal Companion
8th level: Portal Intuition (attempt to determine where portals lead), lose swift tracker
13th level: Planar Tracking (use plane shift to follow quarry), lose camouflage

Rival Organization (CS, web): Do not gain favored enemies. Instead, gain bonuses when fighting members of an organization which you have studied.

Sandskimmer (SSt, p 49): Gain Sandskimmer, lose woodland stride.

Shadow Sword Substitution Levels (CV, p 49): add Knowledge (history)
3rd level: Walk in Silence (+5 Move Silently for 1 round 1 day/2 ranger levels), replaces Endurance
6th level: Bane Weapon (treat weapon as bane weapon against favored enemy), replaces improved combat style
8th level: Portal Analysis (detect portal within 10', study as with analyze portal, use as with portal well), replaces swift tracker

Shape-changing (UA, p 58): Gain wildshape as druid (small and medium animals only) and fast movement as barbarian. Lose combat styles.

Shifter Ranger Substitution Levels (RE, p 128): add balance to list of class skills
1st level: Wild Empathy (add wisdom instead of Cha to wild empathy)
4th level: Share Shifting (share benefits of shifting with animal companion), replaces the ability to share spells
9th level: Enhanced Shifting (gain extra benefit while shifting, depending on primary shifter trait), lose evasion

Shooting Star Substitution Levels (CV, p 50): add Knowledge (arcana) and Spellcraft
3rd level: Weavespeak (as sending with restrictions), replaces Endurance
4th level: Bonus Spells, Improved Spellcasting, replaces animal companion
8th level: Expanded Spell List (see invisibility, word of recall), replaces swift tracker

Spell Reflection (CM, p 35): Lose evasion, gain the ability to reflect spells targeted at you that miss.

Spell-less Ranger (CW, p 13): Lose spellcasting, gain fast movement and spell-like abilities.

Spiritual Connection (CC, p 50): Lose wild empathy, gain speak with plants and speak with animals spell effects.

Spiritual Guide (CC, p 50): Lose animal companion. As long as you're in natural settings, gain a bonus on several skills. Use commune with nature once per day.

Trap Expert (DS, p 12): Lose tracking. Gain trap finding, and disable device as a class skill.

Urban Ranger (UA, p 55): No animal companion greater than medium, replace tracking with urban tracking, no woodland stride or camouflage. Add only one half level to wild empathy checks. Gain Hide in Plain Site in any area, and additional spellcasting.

Urban Companion (CS, web): Instead of a normal animal companion, instead gain something similar to a familiar.

Urban Tracker (CS, web): switch normal tracking for urban tracking.

Voice of the City (CS, web): Lose wild empathy to gain the ability to communicate with people who speak languages you do not know.

Waste Hunter (SSt, p 49): Choose a specific wasteland creature from among current favored enemies, gain additional benefits against that creature.

[dsmiles]

Huh. p58, huh? I never even knew that "Other Class Variants" page was there. Helooooooo, captain obvious! *self-facepalm*

[Rasman]

I know you're probably playing 3.5, but you should take a look at the Pathfinder SRD and see what they did with the Ranger. You basically get a choice now and can either have the companion or have a weapon focus.

[Aedilred]

Thanks guys. I'll put it to our ranger and see what he makes of it.