Ranger boost (3.5 Core, PEACH)

[Yitzi]

The next, and penultimate, part of my general Core fix is boosting the ranger.

First, a boost to favored enemy:

Spoiler

Whenever a ranger chooses a new favored enemy, or increases the bonus to an existing favored enemy, he may choose, in addition to the standard bonuses listed in the PHB, one of the following features, which then affects all attacks against such creatures (or attacks by such creatures, in the case of a defensive bonus):
1. Sneak attack 2d6. This works just as the rogue ability of the same name. If the favored enemy type is naturally immune to sneak attacks (such as oozes or undead), it is still subject to this sneak attack (unless the creature is protected from sneak attacks in some manner as well). This ability may be chosen more than once, and the effects stack. (If a creature falls into two categories of favored enemy, however, the effects from the two categories overlap.)
2. Superior critical. The ranger automatically confirms all critical hits against the favored enemy. If the favored enemy type is naturally immune to critical hits, the ranger may affect them with critical hits anyway (unless the creature is protected from critical hits in some other manner as well).
3. The ranger gets a +4 dodge bonus to AC against attacks by such creatures, and a +4 bonus on all saves against abilities granted by a race of the favored enemy type or a template that changes the creature's race to that type. The save bonus applies regardless of whether the creature is actually of that type; a ranger with Abberration as a favored enemy would get a bonus against the spell-like abilities of a half-dragon aboleth even though it is a dragon rather than an aberration.
This ability may be taken more than once; the effects stack. (If a creature falls into two categories of favored enemy, however, the effects from the two categories overlap.)
4. The ranger's attacks are automatically considered to have a particular property for purposes of bypassing the damage reduction and regeneration of the favored enemy, or of something that gained such a property from being of a race of that type (even if it does not have the type due to a template). The property depends on the selected creature type:

Spoiler

Construct: Adamantine
Dragon: +2 to magical enhancement bonus (so a nonmagical weapon is considered magical, and a +4 or better weapon is considered epic).
Elemental (Earth): Bludgeoning
Fey: Cold Iron
Giant: Fire or acid (this is randomly selected when the ability is chosen, and may not be changed.)
Magical Beast: +2 to magical enhancement bonus.
Monstrous humanoid: +2 to magical enhancement bonus.
Outsider (Chaotic): Cold Iron. If the ranger is lawful-aligned, the attack is also considered to be lawful-aligned.
Outsider (Evil): Cold Iron or Silver or +2 to magical enhancement bonus (choose one when this ability is taken; it may not be changed. This ability may be taken up to three times to get the others.) If the ranger is good-aligned, the attack is also considered to be good-aligned.
Outsider (Good): +2 to magical enhancement bonus. If the ranger is evil-aligned, the attack is also considered to be evil-aligned.
Outsider (Lawful): Chaotic. This requires the ranger to himself be chaotic.
Outsider (any elemental): +2 to magical enhancement bonus.
Undead: Bludgeoning
Other enemies: This ability may not be taken for such enemies.

If an enemy belongs to more than one favored enemy category, the effects may all be applied, but increases to effective magical enhancement bonus do not stack.
5. A +10 bonus to all knowledge checks regarding creatures of the favored enemy type. A knowledge check to which this ability applies is always considered trained. This may only be taken once for each favored enemy, and the effects overlap for a creature falling into more than one favored enemy category.

Next, a change to combat style to make it somewhat more varied:

Spoiler

When a ranger reaches 2nd level, he may pick one feat to be the "root" of his combat style. This feat must be available as a bonus fighter feat, and must have either have a Dexterity prerequisite or either be Point Blank Shot or Mounted Combat or be Combat Reflexes or Improved Unarmed Strike or Weapon Finesse.
At second level, sixth level, and eleventh level, the ranger may get any one feat that is marked as a bonus fighter feat and has the root feat as a prerequisite (or is itself the root feat). He must fulfill all prerequisites other than possession of the root feat.
Feats gained through this ability may only be used when wearing light armor or no armor. If a ranger later takes the feat normally, he may immediately replace it with another eligible feat.

And now for miscellaneous abilities:
Skills: Balance is added to the ranger's list of class skills. If he takes 5 ranks in Jump, Swim, or Climb, he may use his Dexterity modifier instead of his Strength modifier as the key ability for that skill, and he gains a swim speed (for Swim) or climb speed (for Climb) equal to half his land speed, with all the associated advantages.
Proficiencies: The ranger is proficient with the net as well as all simple and martial weapons.
Level 1: The ranger gets Fast Movement just like (and overlapping with) the barbarian ability.
Level 3: The ranger may hide after attacking as a free action, and may do it even within 10' of his enemy. He still takes a -20 penalty.
Level 5: The ranger gets Blind-fight as a bonus feat.
Level 7: The ranger gets the Camouflage ability at this point instead of level 13.
Level 13: The ranger may hide in plain sight, but takes a -20 penalty on the Hide check to do so.
Level 17: The ranger takes no penalty to hide after attacking or to hide in plain sight.

[NeoSeraphi]

Is the boost to favored enemies in addition to the normal Favored Enemy ability? If not, I have a serious problem with it, namely, you give the hunter class no bonus to hunt or track down his quarry.

If this is supposed to replace Favored Enemy, fine. But keep the stacking bonus to Survival checks made to track that enemy. The ranger needs that ability in order to make his role as a specialist hunter viable.

[Yitzi]

Originally Posted by NeoSeraphi

Is the boost to favored enemies in addition to the normal Favored Enemy ability? If not, I have a serious problem with it, namely, you give the hunter class no bonus to hunt or track down his quarry.

It definitely is in addition to the normal one (which really isn't that great). That's what it means that it's a boost rather than a change. I probably should make it explicit, though.

If this is supposed to replace Favored Enemy, fine. But keep the stacking bonus to Survival checks made to track that enemy. The ranger needs that ability in order to make his role as a specialist hunter viable.

Of course, he's not just a hunter; a large part of the miscellaneous boosts was in order to let him take the sniper/guerilla role better as well.

[NeoSeraphi]

Originally Posted by Yitzi

It definitely is in addition to the normal one (which really isn't that great). That's what it means that it's a boost rather than a change. I probably should make it explicit, though.

Of course, he's not just a hunter; a large part of the miscellaneous boosts was in order to let him take the sniper/guerilla role better as well.

What about the Pathfinder ranger's favored terrain ability?

[Yitzi]

Originally Posted by NeoSeraphi

What about the Pathfinder ranger's favored terrain ability?

It's an idea, but it seems to me that a ranger should be equally at home in all natural environments.

[NeoSeraphi]

Originally Posted by Yitzi

It's an idea, but it seems to me that a ranger should be equally at home in all natural environments.

True, but why don't you give them a boon then? Other than the ability to hide, the ranger doesn't have any special bonuses while fighting in natural terrain. You said before that a ranger is a guerilla specialist, but shouldn't that extend to more than just being a good sniper? Perhaps some abilities that let him use the natural terrain to his advantage in other ways, not really because it's a needed boost, but just to give the ranger a little more versatility when fighting in his niche.

Um...let's see, let me try and think of an example so I can explain what I'm talking about...Oh, how about the ability to take 10 on Climb checks when climbing trees, and retaining your Dex mod to AC while climbing (along with some kind of bonus to-hit/Hide checks made when making ranged attacks from a tree)

Additionally, maybe the ranger's keen tracking senses should expand, like giving him the scent quality, or blindsense/blindsight?

Maybe you could include the Track feat in your list of feat fixes, and give it a special ranger-specific bonus to really cement it as useful to the ranger (while letting other classes take it and get the normal benefits of the feat)

Also, maybe you should give rangers proficiency with the net? After all, nets are useful for hunting wild animals, so it would make sense for a ranger to have experience with them.

[Yitzi]

Originally Posted by NeoSeraphi

True, but why don't you give them a boon then? Other than the ability to hide, the ranger doesn't have any special bonuses while fighting in natural terrain. You said before that a ranger is a guerilla specialist, but shouldn't that extend to more than just being a good sniper?

Yes, it includes getting K:Geography, a speed boost, and the ability to live off the land. Favored terrain doesn't really give anything that worthwhile (other than HiPS in an urban area if you choose that, which I don't want to give) anyway.

Um...let's see, let me try and think of an example so I can explain what I'm talking about...Oh, how about the ability to take 10 on Climb checks when climbing trees, and retaining your Dex mod to AC while climbing (along with some kind of bonus to-hit/Hide checks made when making ranged attacks from a tree)

Actually, something along those lines makes sense. Added.

Additionally, maybe the ranger's keen tracking senses should expand, like giving him the scent quality, or blindsense/blindsight?

All of those are a bit much, but Blind-fight as a bonus feat makes sense.

Maybe you could include the Track feat in your list of feat fixes, and give it a special ranger-specific bonus to really cement it as useful to the ranger (while letting other classes take it and get the normal benefits of the feat)

The ranger-specific bonus already exists; it's called Swift Tracker.

Also, maybe you should give rangers proficiency with the net? After all, nets are useful for hunting wild animals, so it would make sense for a ranger to have experience with them.

Also makes sense.

[Rapidghoul]

I really like the rework of favored enemy. I might incorporate it into my campaigns if anyone talks about going ranger. I think the combat style part is... interesting... if difficult to read. I think straight out making a list like "Combat Expertise, Improved Unarmed Strike, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, Two-Weapon Fighting" or the like would make things much easier to read and understand.

Originally Posted by NeoSeraphi

Additionally, maybe the ranger's keen tracking senses should expand, like giving him the scent quality, or blindsense/blindsight?

I like this idea. Kind of like how Scout works, but in a possibly decent class. Blind-fight is good and all, but something like scent would add to Track's usefulness. Not sure how being a hunter would allow you to follow your nose to an enemy, but something like it would be neat.

[Yitzi]

Originally Posted by Rapidghoul

I really like the rework of favored enemy. I might incorporate it into my campaigns if anyone talks about going ranger. I think the combat style part is... interesting... if difficult to read. I think straight out making a list like "Combat Expertise, Improved Unarmed Strike, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, Two-Weapon Fighting" or the like would make things much easier to read and understand.

The basic idea is "anything that requires DEX, or a DEX-based skill, or a DEX-based attack method, or leads to a lot of DEX-based feats", but here's a list of the Core feats that are valid roots, and what feats may be taken associated with each root (leaving out those where there's a strictly better option). New feats from my fighter fix, and those extremely changed, are in bold (I've also added a few to what I previously had because I realized that they weren't included and should be), and the options in italics don't have a full 3 feats, so some go to waste. Note that even if the feats associated with one root are all associated with another root, it's sometimes worth taking the "smaller" root so that you can skip the root feat (if you don't care for the feat but do want the things it's a prerequisite for):

Combat Reflexes: Combat Reflexes, Improved Parry
Dodge: Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Whirlwind Attack, Shot on the Run, Improved Dodge, Improved Mobility
Mobility: Mobility, Spring Attack, Whirlwind Attack, Shot on the Run, Improved Mobility
Spring Attack: Spring Attack, Whirlwind Attack
Improved Unarmed Strike: Improved Unarmed Strike, Deflect Arrows, Improved Grapple, Snatch Arrows, Stunning Fist, Greater Grapple
Improved Grapple: Improved Grapple, Greater Grapple
Mounted Combat: Mounted Combat, Mounted Archery, Ride-by Attack, Spirited Charge, Trample
Ride-by Attack: Ride-by Attack, Spirited Charge
Point Blank Shot: Point Blank Shot, Far Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Manyshot, Shot on the Run, Improved Precise Shot, Deadly Aim, Improved Deadly Aim
Precise Shot: Precise Shot, Improved Precise Shot
Rapid Shot: Rapid Shot, Manyshot
Deadly Aim: Deadly Aim, Improved Deadly Aim
Two-Weapon Fighting (without the fighter fix): Two-weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Defense, Greater Two-Weapon Fighting
Two-Weapon Fighting (with the fighter fix): Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Defense, Two-Weapon Pin, Two-Weapon Trap
Two-Weapon Pin: Two-Weapon Pin, Two-Weapon Trap
Weapon Finesse: Weapon Finesse, Rapid Attack

I like this idea. Kind of like how Scout works, but in a possibly decent class. Blind-fight is good and all, but something like scent would add to Track's usefulness.

But that's not how humanoids work. If you want to track scents, you'll have to get an animal companion with the Scent ability (probably a dog).

[Rapidghoul]

That's the sort of list I'm talking about. Makes the whole thing a lot easier to read and plan out.

And yeah, Scent isn't something humanoids get typically. The idea is something sense-related (blindsight/sense) that would aid them in tracking enemies rather than just fighting them. Scent is just an example of a mechanic that does this job. Maybe just an ability that improves Track? Hell, make an Improved Track feat and give it to Ranger for free.

[Yitzi]

Better yet, make Improved Track remove the biggest problem with tracking (it slows the party down) and make it available only as the bonus ranger ability.

Oh wait...