Ideas to boost ranger?

[Legacy_WhiteTiger]

               

I would like to give some benefit to the ranger class.

 

Any idea?

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_WhiteTiger]

               

I thought about a new feat that can be picked from rangers to improve their aim with the bow. but my module is NO-HAK, so I can not create a new feat?

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Shadooow]

               

imo there is no need to boost him this way

 

you can:

- add some strong animals that can be lured with animal empathy so he can use them

- do not penalize ranger/druid XP (that much) for having dominated animal in party/animal companion

- allow ranger to skin animals/craft their skins/etc.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_henesua]

               

if you are a no hak module, Shadooow's suggestions are the way to go.

 

I added the following for our rangers:

Tracking feat automatically awarded at level 1 (selectable by other "wild" classes)

a few new spells that enable a ranger to better lead a party over difficult terrain

6 skill points per level

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_WhiteTiger]

               

we have some strong animals in game. I was not sure that mastering an animal could cause XP penalty. to abstain this, would be necessary use SetXP() instead of GiveXPToCreature() for rangers/druids? And how so craft a skin?

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Terrorble]

               

Rangers have a few spells specific to them that can be modded without a hak.  Or, mod some of their spells to give a specific benefit for rangers.

 

A bonus AB via their OnEquip event when using a bow is doable.

 

I've done some work with traps to modify their DCs based on set/disable trap skill, trap quality, and class level.  It's certainly expanded that dimension of trap-using classes.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_MagicalMaster]

               

1. Allow them to dual-wield while in non-light armor.  I developed a system for that if you want it.

 

2. Boost DW slightly (which is incorporated into that system I mentioned).

 

3. Let them harvest wild items (only Druids/Rangers can do it).

 

4. Give them an item which lets them summon an animal "companion" at level 1 and then which you remove once they get the actual animal companion feat.

 

5. Can simply apply a bonus to bows or other weapons if you wish.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Grani]

               

From my experience, rangers do just as good in melee as fighters. While they can't specialize in a weapon, Favored Enemy feats make up for that. Of course that applies only to fights in which you face your favored enemy, but if you take many ranger levels, you can pretty much have half of all races as your favored enemies and the bonuses for this are significant.

 

Still, what I didn't like about rangers, is that they inherently are no better archers than fighters. Rangers are trackers and hunters. It would seem almost obvious they DO know how to shoot well, better than a class focused merely on (melee) combat.

 

That's why in my module I've given rangers Shortbow Weapon Specialization at level 3 and Epic Shortbow Weapon specialization at level 25. This makes them inherently better archers than fighters (who CAN become just as good, but would need to waste two feats for this) and gives some value to shortbows, since there was really no reason to specialize and focus in shortbows rather than longbows before.


Other than that, I never saw rangers as inferior to other melee classes.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_WhiteTiger]

               

I like Terrorbles' idea consisting to work with OnEquip/OnUnequip events to add some AB to rangers using bow. However, I believe that other builds using no bows will become in disadvantage. We can not give an extra AB merely when equipping a bow. Would be interesting to make the player choose where he would like to receive extra AB (like in shortsword, rapier, etc.).

 

I thought of adding a skin to rangers after character creation with an Unique Power Spell and make him able to use it multiple times. Swiching the power, he receives AB using melee or bows. The problem is that you can not find your own skin and use its unique power. (or we could use a Player Tool -  can we see the feat this way? Do not remember)

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Terrorble]

               

If you want, I can show you the way to add +1AB to rangers when equiping a bow, then remove it when they unequip it.  Or, you can add a bonus for any weapon the same way.  You can make the bonus increase with ranger levels if that's what you're looking for.

 

I

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_WhiteTiger]

               

I was inspired in your idea to give +2 AC (edited written wrong way, I would say AC) when equipping a bow and I came to a perfect solution. What about to give +"2" AC to rangers if they have weapon focus in the equipped weapon and if they are not using shields? Because they are able to defending better with the weapon focus 

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_tobtor]

               

While I sympathise with trying doing more with the ranger-class, I dont think what they need is a combat bonus, and giving out +2AB (offense) or AC (defense) seem a bit high. Why should they be better at fighting whith weapon focus than others?

 

Instead maybe focus more on their role as rangers, that is their wildlife/survival skills. Let them find berries that for a short time boost their abilities or something else that has with survival in the wild as a theme. Perhaps boosting the trackless step feat at some point (like at level 8 or 12 or something) adding something like the barbarian fast movement (if possible, I have no idea how to modify anything, I am just suggesting) in wilderness areas. That would be very ranger-like (hunting down prey, running from enemies while stopping and sending arrows after them)

 

If combat bonus is aplied (AB/AC) is it possible to make it dependent on being in a wilderness area? To immitate that the ranger was better at finding his footing and using his surroundings in the fight. That way you would have rangers that "ruled" combat in wilderness situations, but was more average in towns or indoors.

 

So my basic thought is: if the ranger needs a boost, somehow tie it to something ranger-like.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_MagicalMaster]

               

The main problem rangers have is that they're basically just flat out inferior to fighters until favored enemies start racking up and you get the animal companion (if the module is low enough magic for the companion to be useful).

 

You can't go strength dual-wielding due to only being able to wear light armor, going 2H strength is just less powerful than a fighter, dex-dual wield is weaker at low levels and a fighter does just as well at it, and bow is the same as fighter.

 

Paladins/Barbarians get other benefits like Saving Throws and Rage while Rangers get nothing really useful.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Grani]

               

The main problem rangers have is that they're basically just flat out inferior to fighters until favored enemies start racking up and you get the animal companion (if the module is low enough magic for the companion to be useful).

 

You can't go strength dual-wielding due to only being able to wear light armor, going 2H strength is just less powerful than a fighter, dex-dual wield is weaker at low levels and a fighter does just as well at it, and bow is the same as fighter.

 

Paladins/Barbarians get other benefits like Saving Throws and Rage while Rangers get nothing really useful.

 

You're right, though a high level ranger fighting against his favored enemy will fare much better than same level fighter.

Fighters have versatility when it comes to fighting, while rangers specialize. I do believe this is a kind of balance, too.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_WhiteTiger]

               

imo there is no need to boost him this way

 

you can:

- add some strong animals that can be lured with animal empathy so he can use them

- do not penalize ranger/druid XP (that much) for having dominated animal in party/animal companion

- allow ranger to skin animals/craft their skins/etc.

 

thats so natural solutions

 

The main problem rangers have is that they're basically just flat out inferior to fighters until favored enemies start racking up and you get the animal companion (if the module is low enough magic for the companion to be useful).

 

You can't go strength dual-wielding due to only being able to wear light armor, going 2H strength is just less powerful than a fighter, dex-dual wield is weaker at low levels and a fighter does just as well at it, and bow is the same as fighter.

 

Paladins/Barbarians get other benefits like Saving Throws and Rage while Rangers get nothing really useful.

 

players tend to pick up only a few levels of ranger (like max 20)

 

There are so many different races and the ranger can specialize in one, two, three... Hardly he will fight in advantage.