Classic "Rangers"

[LibraryOgre]

Still thinking of a "replacement" for Favored Enemy. I'm thinking that for Any enemy, the first round the ranger has No bonus; but with every addition round, s/he adds +1 attack bonus and AC due to "studying" the enemy. The ranger gets better the longer the battle lasts. No damage bonus, but a cumulative attack bonus, up to a max of the ranger's level.

I want something different than the paladin's smite evil ability, and fairly unique.

Does it reset with each new enemy? So, if I'm fighting three orcs, do I get better until I kill one, then I go back to base to fight the second, then, once that's done, back to base, growing until I finish the third?

[paladinn]

Does it reset with each new enemy? So, if I'm fighting three orcs, do I get better until I kill one, then I go back to base to fight the second, then, once that's done, back to base, growing until I finish the third?

Yep, each foe is different. OR, if the foes are of the same species, I guess the bonus could carry over. Hadn't thought that far ahead..lol

[LibraryOgre]

Yep, each foe is different. OR, if the foes are of the same species, I guess the bonus could carry over. Hadn't thought that far ahead..lol

I like the idea of an increasing bonus to attack and defense; it's the kind of thing that goes with a ranger often being on their own, and helps compensate for their usually lighter armor. I might make it an escalating bonus... but only one per round. So, perhaps odd rounds, it increases AC, even rounds it increases attack? It makes it a nice benefit, especially when fighting things that will take a while.

Would it apply in ranged combat?

[paladinn]

I like the idea of an increasing bonus to attack and defense; it's the kind of thing that goes with a ranger often being on their own, and helps compensate for their usually lighter armor. I might make it an escalating bonus... but only one per round. So, perhaps odd rounds, it increases AC, even rounds it increases attack? It makes it a nice benefit, especially when fighting things that will take a while.

Would it apply in ranged combat?

I don't see why not. A ranger would be learning about his foe, even from a distance.

How would you see this work when fighting multiple foes (i.e. several orcs, or whatever)?

[LibraryOgre]

I don't see why not. A ranger would be learning about his foe, even from a distance.

How would you see this work when fighting multiple foes (i.e. several orcs, or whatever)?

To be honest, I would have it simply build per combat, regardless of the foe; it is simpler, and avoids some weird questions ("Is a half-orc orc enough to count for this bonus? What if he's a half-orc thief? Do ALL humans count, or is a human fighter different than a human cleric? Is a human leveled fighter different than a 0 level human fighter?") Since you're already capping each bonus at the player's level, the fact that it grows is not the problem... especially if you have the bonus grow more slowly, as I outlined above.

This would also, I think, emphasize the ranger's preference for ambush... if I can start firing from a distance, and it takes you a couple rounds to get to me, I'll have a couple bonuses under my belt by the time you get here. They may not favor strict hit-and-run (no time for the bonuses to accumulate), but it would definitely make ambush more attractive, and melee less deadly.

[paladinn]

To be honest, I would have it simply build per combat, regardless of the foe; it is simpler, and avoids some weird questions ("Is a half-orc orc enough to count for this bonus? What if he's a half-orc thief? Do ALL humans count, or is a human fighter different than a human cleric? Is a human leveled fighter different than a 0 level human fighter?") Since you're already capping each bonus at the player's level, the fact that it grows is not the problem... especially if you have the bonus grow more slowly, as I outlined above.

This would also, I think, emphasize the ranger's preference for ambush... if I can start firing from a distance, and it takes you a couple rounds to get to me, I'll have a couple bonuses under my belt by the time you get here. They may not favor strict hit-and-run (no time for the bonuses to accumulate), but it would definitely make ambush more attractive, and melee less deadly.

"Most intriguing, Captain" - Lcdr Data, STNG

[Anonymouswizard]

Okay, my thoughts on Rangers:
-Rangers don't need magic, give them boosted nonmagical healing skills. Let them gather and preserve herbs to increase normal hp regeneration by a significant amount, cure or suppress diseases and poisons, and potentially fix a few other problems.
-Rangers should rely on burst damage as well as hit and run tactics. Some kind of Sneak Attack style ability is probably best in my mind, a conditional ability that vastly ups damage. I'd actually go for the opposite to what's been suggested:study foes before combat (while the casters are buffing) for a large bonus which then drops off quickly over a couple of rounds(maybe waiting until the Ranger's first hit).
-A ranger who cannot split an arrow with another arrow has been slacking off.
-Rangers should be able to lighten a group's reliance on supplies,but if not going for a hex crawl this might just be flavour.

This all feeds into my view of Rangers, which is partially thinking of them as one part Aragorn one part Robin Hood. But I really like the idea of a Ranger who loses effectiveness if they cannot ambush their quarry.