3.5 arcane ranger

[ridly]

I don't like the idea of multiclassing, and my dm says all the classes i make are to strong so I want all you know on a arcane ranger. You know a ranger with arcane spells because i like rangers and wizards

[Tempest Fennac]

You could give them a set of survival-based Arcane spells in place of their normal Divine spells while using Int instead of Wis. I'll try to come up with a list for you quickly.

EDIT: I was focussing on spells which would be useful for wilderness survival, and I also put the Summon Monster spells in to replace the Summon Nature's Ally spells:

1: Endure Elements, Alarm, Obscuring Mist, True Strike, Jump, Expeditious Retreat, Mount, Summon Monster 1.
2: Web Summon, Resist Energy, Fog Cloud, Rope Trick, Summon Monster 2, Bull's Strength, Bear's Endurance, Cat's Grace.
3: Phantom Steed, Sleet Storm, Summon Monster 3, Heroism, Tiny Hut, Wind Wall, Haste, Water Breathing.
4: Stoneskin, Secure Shelter, Solid Fog, Wall of Ice, Summon Monster 4, Locate Creature, Minor Creation, Fire Shield.

Having Spellcraft and/or Knowledge (Arcana) as a class skill would help as well, possibly in place of Knowledge (Dungeoneering).

[ridly]

how about some evocation spells realated to nature like:
1 shocking grasp
2 shatter, Flaming sphere, contiual flame
3lightnig bolt, wind wall, leomunds tiny hut
4 wall of fire or ice

[FMArthur]

A Ranger's casting is so limited that I don't think it would be unbalancing for you to just use the Wizard/sorcerer spell list in place of the ranger's normal casting. Then again, it's quite a poor caster either way, and it sounds like you want someone who can actually cast competently as well as be a ranger. Could you describe what parts of the ranger you'd be focusing on, and what you want to be doing with your spells? If you did that, we might be able to just find you a class more suited to your needs.

[Eldariel]

Make it a Mystic Ranger (available at http://www.crystalkeep.com) - they have casting almost on par with the Bard. Then give it some arcane spells (Web definitely, perhaps summons, fog-spells, etc.) that fit the "nature"-theme and kick ass. Really, it kinda sucks Rangers are divine casters instead of arcane - otherwise Arcane Archer would actually have a place in D&D (as a Ranger PrC), and the Elf Arcane Magic/Nature-combo would make sense!

[Fax Celestis]

Try a Duskblade with wilderness/ranger fluff?

[ridly]

Could you describe what parts of the ranger you'd be focusing on, and what you want to be doing with your spells? If you did that, we might be able to just find you a class more suited to your needs.

I like combat style, animal companion, and favorite enemy. I just want arcane spells. but my dm says it's to powerful

[BRC]

I like combat style, animal companion, and favorite enemy. I just want arcane spells. but my dm says it's to powerful

So, you want the three main features of the Ranger class as well as the main feature of the Sorc/Wiz...

[Eldariel]

So, you want the three main features of the Ranger class as well as the main feature of the Sorc/Wiz...

Uh, he isn't asking for level 9 spells. He's rather asking for a toned down version of one of the 4-5 primary class features of Bard... Combat Style isn't much of a class feature - just few bonus feats. Ranger's Animal Companion sucks (½ level - I mean, WTF? It's like Wizards didn't WANT you to use it), leaving Ranger to the skills and favoured enemy - I'd say those are its primary class features.

[Fax Celestis]

Ranger + Hexblade spell list (and maybe + Hexblade's Dark Companion alt class feature in PHB-II instead of animal companion) would work.

[Paul H]

Hi

Don't know about an Arcane Ranger, but made up a Ftr/Warmage 6 character for Living Planar. Will be going Eldritch Knight next level.

Warmages have excellent spells for Bow users. Accuracy, Truestrike, Flaming Arrow spring to mind. Gets better if the Archer has a Spell-Storing bow, for Scorching Ray, etc. (Upgrade later to Holy, add Energy damage Crystals, etc).

Eldritch Knight has Full BAB, Ftr saves, plus Full Caster after 1st lvl, when he gains free Ftr feat instead.

Cheers
Paul H
PS There's also a feat that allows you to add +2 to hit with ranged wpns as long as you have an 'Air' spell available.

[SurlySeraph]

Take the Sword of the Arcane Order feat, ignoring the fluff requirements if necessary.

[Thurbane]

Duskblade with the Wild Cohort Feat and TWF/Rapid Shot feat chains?

[Tempest Fennac]

I already included a lot of those spells in my list, ridly. (I mainly levt offensive spells out due to deciding that buff/utility spells would be more useful while fitting better). Does anyone else think that getting rid of the animal companion while moving the Combat Style progression feats back by 1 level while giving the Ranger Arcane spells would work? I'll think up some spells to add to this version's spell list.

EDIT:

0: Light, Prestigitation, Ghost Sound, Mending, Message, Dancing Lights, Resistance, Detect Magic.
5: Mage's Faithful Hound, Fabricate, Animal Growth, Passwall, Transmute Mud to Stone, Transmute Stone to Mud,
Wall of Stone, Mind Fog.
6: Guards and Wards, Repulsion, Greater Heroism, Shadow Walk, Mass Bulls, Strength, Bear's Endurance and
Cat's Grace, Move Earth.

[Sstoopidtallkid]

Why not simply switch Ranger casting to Int instead of Wis, give him spells known as a Bard of half his level(give or take, the progression would be wonky), and allow him to draw from the Bard list as well as the Ranger one, with the DM having final approval of all spell selection.

[Tempest Fennac]

Wouldn't that result in the Ranger ending up with slighty less spells then a normal Ranger?

[Sstoopidtallkid]

Wouldn't that result in the Ranger ending up with slighty less spells then a normal Ranger?

Like I said, it needs adjusting, but that's how I'd balance it. And only spells known, keep spells-per-day the same.

[mabriss lethe]

There's a feat from Champions of Valor, i think, and you need to be 4th level in either class to take it. (plus some FR specific fluff requirements.)

Sword of the Arcane order. It applies to both paladins and rangers. Using the feat and access to a spellbook(your own or someone else's) you can prepare arcane spells in your ranger or paladin slots. These spells are all Int based, just like a wizard's so it increases your MAD, but if you're playing up the skill-monkey roll anyway, you'll probably already have a decent int.

No need to homebrew anything. just permission to use a campaign specific feat.

ninja'd---ooops looks like surlyseraph beat me to it---

[JaxGaret]

I'll third the Sword of the Arcane Order feat suggestion. It seems like it's exactly what you want.

[solidrotgut]

how about get the rogue/bard progression of base attack bonus, the magic progression of the bard with sorcerer's spell and keep everything else, pushing back the combat style progression acordingly with your base attack bonus? too powerful ?

[Smeggedoff]

if you want to go from the wizard side there's a variant in Unearthed Arcana that lets you have a Ranger Animal Companion instead of a Familiar.

Combat style is just free feats, there's an elven wizard substitution level at 5 in races of the wild that offers a bow feat instead of a metamagic.
I'm sure I've seen a favoured enemy for a wizard somewhere

[dualslash]

Does learning the feat Sword of the Arcane Order make a ranger or a paladin a arcane spell caster?

[toddex]

You could give them a set of survival-based Arcane spells in place of their normal Divine spells while using Int instead of Wis. I'll try to come up with a list for you quickly.

EDIT: I was focussing on spells which would be useful for wilderness survival, and I also put the Summon Monster spells in to replace the Summon Nature's Ally spells:

1: Endure Elements, Alarm, Obscuring Mist, True Strike, Jump, Expeditious Retreat, Mount, Summon Monster 1.
2: Web Summon, Resist Energy, Fog Cloud, Rope Trick, Summon Monster 2, Bull's Strength, Bear's Endurance, Cat's Grace.
3: Phantom Steed, Sleet Storm, Summon Monster 3, Heroism, Tiny Hut, Wind Wall, Haste, Water Breathing.
4: Stoneskin, Secure Shelter, Solid Fog, Wall of Ice, Summon Monster 4, Locate Creature, Minor Creation, Fire Shield.

Having Spellcraft and/or Knowledge (Arcana) as a class skill would help as well, possibly in place of Knowledge (Dungeoneering).

God damn thats a nice list. Especially stone skin, solid fog, and wall of ice heh. Although a full BA class with access to true strike SCREAMS 2hander + power attack.

It sounds like what you want to play is more of a dusk blade then a ranger my friend.

[Person_Man]

Take the Sword of the Arcane Order feat, ignoring the fluff requirements if necessary.

Seconded.

This is a wildly useful fix for the Ranger (the most valuable part of it being that you can use Wizard wands, and share spells with your companion). Basically you get to play a full BAB Gish without the trouble of crazy multi-classing or PrC. There are also Mystra substitution levels out there somewhere (I think Champions of Valor) that add additional spells per level.