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Ziegander
2009-09-24, 11:09 PM
The Ranger

**At this time Geomancy is sorely incomplete. Nothing but the core mechanics have been thought out. The Druid and the Ranger will both use it, as well as possibly the Barbarian (though I kind of doubt it). Spells will come in time and the Druid will be capable of using either all, or almost all, of the Ranger's spells, but not vice versa. **

HD: d8

{table=head]LV|Base Attack Bonus|Fort|Ref|Will|Class Features|Mana Pts|S. Known|S. Level

1.|
+1|
+2|
+2|
+0|Skirmish (+1 AC), Scent, Tracker|
2|
2|
1st

2.|
+2|
+3|
+3|
+0|Resist Nature's Grasp, Terrain Mastery|
3|
3|
1st

3.|
+3|
+3|
+3|
+1|Skirmish (+1 AC, +1d6)|
4|
3|
1st

4.|
+4|
+4|
+4|
+1|Camouflage, Flawless Stride|
6|
4|
2nd

5.|
+5|
+4|
+4|
+1|Skirmish (+2 AC, +1d6)|
8|
4|
2nd

6.|
+6/+1|
+5|
+5|
+2|The Earth Speaks|
10|
4|
2nd

7.|
+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+2|Skirmish (+2 AC, +2d6)|
13|
5|
3rd

8.|
+8/+3|
+6|
+6|
+2|Guiding Beacon 10ft|
16|
5|
3rd

9.|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+3|Skirmish (+3 AC, +2d6)|
19|
5|
3rd

10.|
+10/+5|
+7|
+7|
+3|The Air Speaks|
23|
6|
4th

11.|
+11/+6/+1|
+7|
+7|
+3|Skirmish (+3 AC, +3d6)|
27|
6|
4th

12.|
+12/+7/+2|
+8|
+8|
+4|Free Stride|
31|
6|
4th

13.|
+13/+8/+3|
+8|
+8|
+4|Skirmish (+4 AC, +3d6)|
35|
6|
4th

14.|
+14/+9/+4|
+9|
+9|
+4|Hide In Plain Sight|
40|
7|
5th

15.|
+15/+10/+5|
+9|
+9|
+5|Skirmish (+4 AC, +4d6)|
45|
7|
5th

16.|
+16/+11/+6/+1|
+10|
+10|
+5|Guiding Beacon 30ft|
50|
7|
5th

17.|
+17/+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+10|
+5|Skirmish (+5 AC, +4d6)|
55|
7|
5th

18.|
+18/+13/+8/+3|
+11|
+11|
+6|The Echoes Dance|
61|
8|
6th

19.|
+19/+14/+9/+4|
+11|
+11|
+6|Skirmish (+5 AC, +5d6)|
67|
8|
6th

20.|
+20/+15/+10/+5|
+12|
+12|
+6|Wildsense 60ft, Wildstep|
73|
8|
6th[/table]

Class Skills (6+Int): Balance, Climb, Craft, Gather Information, Handle Animal, Heal, Hide, Jump, Knowledge (Dungeoneering/Geography/Local/Nature), Listen, Move Silently, Profession, Ride, Search, Spot, Survival, Swim, and Tumble.

Proficiencies: All simple weapons, all martial weapons, light armor, no shields.

Geomancy (Su): A Ranger taps into the Mana energy of the natural world to employ natural and spiritual magic to aid his allies and scour his foes with elemental forces. At the beginning of each encounter a Ranger begins with a full Mana Pool, filled with a number of mana points as shown in the table above. Each round beyond the first of an encounter a Ranger regains a number of mana points equal to 1/4 his class level.

A Ranger can cast any spell he knows as long as he has the available mana points. Rangers don't get any bonus mana points or spells known for having a high ability score, but the save DCs of spells he casts are determined by his Wisdom modifier. His "spells" are actually considered supernatural abilities for all purposes and as such the save DC of any such spell is 10+1/2Ranger level+Ranger's Wisdom modifier.

Unlike a Druid, the Ranger knows very few Geomancy spells as shown in the table above, and selects his spells from the much more limited Ranger spell list (see below). Most of these spells must be delivered through weapon attacks instead of the more direct approach a Druid is able to take in wielding these earthen powers.

At 5th level and every five levels thereafter a Ranger can choose to lose any spell he knows to learn a new spell of any level he is capable of casting.

Mana Costs by spell level - 1st (2), 2nd (4), 3rd (7), 4th (10), 5th (14), 6th (18)

Skirmish (Ex): As scout, except that it starts with the AC bonus and acquires increased damage at 3rd level, and progresses from there.

Scent (Ex): As Monster Manual.

Tracker (Ex): Rangers gain Track as a bonus feat, and can use it to track someone in an Urban Environment using the Gather Information skill.

Resist Nature's Grasp (Ex): At 2nd level, a Ranger receives a bonus to his saving throws equal to his Intelligence modifier against all abilities of creatures with the Elemental, Fey, Giant, Plant, and Vermin types.

Terrain Mastery (Su): Starting at 2nd level, by spending a move action, a Ranger can attune himself with his surroundings, gaining immediate understanding of the terrain's basic properties and threats. This grants him a bonus to attack rolls against creatures native to the terrain, and a bonus to all skill checks while within the terrain equal to 1+1/5 his class level. This bonus lasts 5 rounds.

Camouflage (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a Ranger may use the Hide skill in any terrain that he has used his Terrain Mastery feature in, even if the terrain doesn't grant cover or concealment.

Flawless Stride (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a Ranger wearing no heavier than light armor and carrying no more than a medium load ignores difficult terrain and damage that would be dealt by natural terrain features, unless such terrain would require a Climb or Swim check to successfully navigate.

The Earth Speaks (Su): Starting at 6th level, after using his Terrain Mastery feature, a Ranger gains Tremorsense out to 30ft while he remains in the effected terrain.

Guiding Beacon (Ex): Starting at 8th level, a Ranger is able to help nearby allies navigate dangerous terrain. Allies within 10ft of the Ranger gain his Camouflage and Flawless Stride abilities, as well as the Ranger's Free Stride and Hide In Plain Sight abilities if the Ranger is of sufficient level to have those abilities. At 16th level, allies within 30ft benefit from those abilities.

The Air Speaks (Su): Starting at 10th level, after using his Terrain Mastery feature, a Ranger gains Blindsense out to 30ft while he remains in the effected terrain.

Free Stride (Su): Starting at 12th level, a Ranger benefits from a Freedom of Movement effect as the spell during his turns (but not on other creatures' turns).

Hide In Plain Sight (Ex): Starting at 14th level, a Ranger may use the Hide skill in any terrain that he has used his Terrain Mastery feature in, even while being observed.

The Echoes Dance (Su): Starting at 18th level, after using his Terrain Mastery feature, a Ranger gains Blind-sight out to 30ft while he remains in the effected terrain.

Wildsense (Su): A Ranger of 20th level is able to detect all creatures native to the terrain within 60ft after using his Terrain Mastery feature, as if using the Status spell, and as if they were his allies.

Wildstep (Su): At 20th level, a Ranger's connection with the earth is so great that he is able to move through it with unparalleled ease. After using his Terrain Mastery feature he is able to teleport a distance equal to his land speed as a move action once each round.

Pramxnim
2009-09-25, 03:56 AM
Hehe, it's always nice to see someone think like you. I've had the idea of getting Geomancy into 3.5 for a while, and came up with 2 different classes that both adhere to the same idea, but using different mechanics. You could probably check them out for ideas ^^

The first one is what I would deem a failure in design, since it didn't capture the spirit of the class that I wanted to create and felt like a carbon copy of the Warlock. Meet the Geomancer, 1st edition. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=114471)

The second one is the same class, but reborn into a PrC, and employing a different mechanic (which is a bit similar to what you have here, on a per encounter basis). I present the Geomancer, 2nd edition. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6390261&postcount=5)

Realms of Chaos
2009-09-25, 04:58 AM
While this is a good class, I must ask why you insist on calling it a Ranger.

As you have said, you have completely remade the class. While it has the same HD, same Saving throws, Same skills, Same Proficiencies, same BAB, and 4 of the same class features (one of which has been renamed and two of which have been tweaked), this doesn't seem like enough in common.

The basic fundamentals have been changed, meaning that you have ended up with an entirely new class. If you want to say that this will replace rangers in your game, that will likely work out well. It seem more appropriate, however, to name it something else to note that this class functions nothing like the ranger.