Free actions can only be taken when you can normally act, which means not during another's turn.
Where do you find this rule? It might well be the intent, but it should be clarified. "Speak," at least, is a free action that can be used even when it's not your turn.
--Jeff
By definition an "action" is something you do on your normal turn. Things like immediate actions contain exceptions to this rule and non-normal rounds like surprise rounds specifically state what actions can be available as an exception to the action definition as well. In the case of "Speak" it also contains the exception:
From the SRD wrote:
Speak: In general, speaking is a free action that you can perform even when it isn’t your turn. Speaking more than few sentences is generally beyond the limit of a free action.
The SRD makes specific note of the exception that speaking can be performed when it isn't your turn.
Language always was a mechanical oddity in 3.x. However, now that we have a Linguistics skill, perhaps we could utilize it to learn new languages. As an example, you could make a Linguistics check to learn a new language. You couldn't try again until your skill was raised, usually by a new level. Complex languages, like Draconic or anything to do with outsiders, would have high learning DCs, while simple languages, like Common or Orc, would have low DCs. You could use the skill to identify dialects of languages you know, too. Hm, I like this idea...
I was going to suggest this one and I've already used it in my game and it worked out great.
Personally, I'd drop the Con penalty and change +2 Cha to +2 Int or even +2 Con (works mechanically with the bloodline abilities).
As for a kobold racial weapon: Kobold Gnomeskewer - two-handed 1d6(Small) 19-20/x2 piercing - Trip, Reach 10ft, may be used with weapon finesse. Basically a finesse-able guisarme except you skewer instead of slash with it.
I don't think the gish class is need, we have the OGL battle sorcerer, Pathfinder is backwards compatible. I would only change what I always do with the battle sorcerer which is to allow any two martial weapons to be proficient with.
These are really awesome, but do you think you could make a zip file with all of the cards for easy download? It is kind of a hassle to download each individual card.
No, Pandaran belong in WOW and WOW alone. On the request for new races in general, it detracts from the core principle of Pathfinder RPG: reworking D&D 3.5 - nothing should be added for the sake of adding things.
However, I did make a panda race once, but it had Wu Jen as a favored class and not related to Pandaran (I didn't know about them at the time).
No....just no, it does not lead to the type of game D&D is, maybe an overhauled option for more "realistic" games, but still it goes against the high fantasy genre which is D&D's niche. GURPS is what you want for a low-magic, realistic game (from what I hear).
And yes, I have tried it out, it worse a nightmare, one guy got down the first hit just because I rolled a 20, not fun.
I can accept the idea that the first time you whip out the barstool and clock your foe on the head you might catch them by surprise, but after they've seen you pull this trick, I don't think that your opponents are going to be slack-jawed the entire fight. It should be revised to indicate that your opponents will be flat-footed for one round. They will be immune to this effect for the rest of this encounter. The lack of attack penalty continues to apply.
A couple of thoughts...
1) It should be called Catch Off-Guard, not Caught Off-Guard.
2) The no penalty for improvised weapons thing is the best part of this ability. That is probably enough for a feat all by itself, called Resourceful Fighter or something. THEN there should be a second feat called Catch Off-Guard that gives you a single attack where your opponent will be flat-footed the first time you use an improvised weapon (i.e., you can't have been using the beer mug the whole time).
3) Why is this only usable against unarmed opponents? I see it as usable against any opponent. Plus, how often do you fight unarmed opponents (you big bully, you)?
I haven't really shown it to my whole group, just one of them for playtesting. He liked it and didn't really have any qualms about it, though at least one of my other players probably won't like it if it is too much of a change.
DeadDMWalking wrote:
If you'd like it, I can e-mail it. Just to warn you, there are some tweaks that may be necessary after some playtesting, but it is mostly solid. It includes the standard races and most of the MM races... If you can provide your e-mail I'll send it right over.
I've considered doing something like this but didn't really have the time. A lot of people seem to like this idea so you might as well post it :P
Well, I agree...except I am coming from the angle that Halflings are just better with Int rather than Cha, maybe its because I often have cannibalistic and bloodthirsty halflings in my games that aren't that charismatic, cute, or lovable.
If I can add on another question, are there plans for being able to increase the damage/DC (and thus the level) of poisons? In other words, will we see feats/craft(poison) rules for improving their potency?
I would love that, I've made homebrew feats for increasing the DCs of poisons you craft.
I have fiddled around with a progression that is identical to the Poor progression, except it starts out at +2. Basically it is strong in the beginning but loses its strength in mid to late game, boosting low level survivability.
I like the weapon proficiency idea, of course, ideally for me all light weapons (and certain exceptions like the whip and rapier) would use dex instead of str requiring a feat to use strength and weapon finesse would only apply to one-handed weapons.
Okay so this is for the Alpha 3 discussion on rangers.
I'll start off with Hunter's Bond.
I'd like to add an alternate third choice that fits the title "Hunter's Bond".
The ranger forms a bond with the very land he hunts upon. The ranger gains special benefits for being in a favored terrain depending on his ranger level.
4th level - The ranger can use Ghost Sound (0-level), Detect Animals or Plants (1st level), Detect Snares and Pits (1st level), and Speak with Animals (1st level) as spell-like abilities at will.
9th level - The ranger can use Locate Creature (4th level) 3 times per day as a spell-like ability. The creature located by this ability must also be within the favored terrain.
14th level - The ranger rolls twice for Initiative checks, using the die result of his choice for his Initiative.
19th level - The ranger can teleport up to 30 feet within line of sight as a move action. The destination of the teleportation must be within the favored terrain.
This was inspired a bit by the movies Crocodile Dundee 2 and The Brothers Grimm.
Not bad, I kind of like it, though I would make that last ability a 3/day thing or make it a full-round action.
As an exercise, I compared the Arcane and Destined bloodlines. The skill, feats, and bonus spells didn't stand out as one better than the other (IMO), but there were some issues in the powers:
(Metamagice Adept/Fated) - Arcane has the upper hand by a long shot, the luck bonus is just too limited especially when compared to the power of metamagic. It is a nice bonus, but it doesn't come up much.
(New Arcana/It Was Meant to Be) - More spells = more power, the reroll just doesn't measure up, its the same kind of thing as why the Luck feats from Complete Scoundrel aren't that great.
(School Power/Within Reach) - Destined gets the better of these, cheating death > limited higher DCs - to me the DC boost just doesn't seem like much compared to the Destined's potential, though the differences in frequency probably even it out.
(Arcane Apotheosis/Destiny Realized) - Destined gets the better of the two IMO, you effectively have 80% critical immunity with perks, much better than slot-burning for charges (expensive slot-burning at that) and updated Metamagic Adept
Summary: In the end, they both seem to balance out, so at 20th level they are pretty balanced, however, in between they swing from Arcane being the best at low levels to Destined finally coming back and matching it higher up the level ladder.
Something i have long wondered/considered, but not actually playtested:
What about allowing the monk to use his 'unarmed strike' damage when using 'special monk weapons'?
It would eliminate the amulet of mighty fists supercost requirement by allowing the monk access to the same priced melee combat boosters as all other classes, plus also get rid of the 'need' to do things like..multiclass to kensai so i can enchant my fist...etc. I think it would allow the monks to get more into the damage dealing level that rogues have because it would allow the stacking of holy, flaming, etc.
Just a thought
Simple and easy to implement. I like it. Thoughts?
Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing
I fully support this change, in fact I made a set martial artist classes that implemented this for the Avatar D20 project on the GiantitP forums. Let me dig it out...as a disclaimer, this class was built as part of a set to completely replace all fighter-types and thus used full BAB as well as up the power to that of lower-end casters. Also note that while an AC bonus is not included the Defense Bonus variant from the SRD was used and the Wind Warrior had the "C" tier progression.
Spoiler:
Wind Warrior
BAB: good
Good Saves: Fort and Ref
1st - Unarmed Strike, Ki pool, AC Bonus, Flurry of Blows
2nd - Weapon Strike, Bonus Feat, Acrobatics, Evasion
3rd - Bonus Feat, Fast Movement, Swift Step
4th - Uncanny Dodge, Unarmed Damage Increase
5th - Sway in the Wind (+2)
6th - Bonus Feat, Fury of the Wind
7th - Improved Flurry of Blows
8th - Improved Uncanny Dodge, Unarmed Damage Increase
9th - Fast Movement
10th- Lift of the Gale, Improved Evasion
11th- Improved Swift Step
12th- Improved Swift Step
13th- -
14th- Greater Flurry of Blows
15th- Fast Movement
16th- Unarmed Damage Increase
17th- Sway in the Wind (immediate action)
18th- Fast Movement
19th- Greater Swift Step
20th- Master of the Breeze, Sway in the Wind (+6) Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Wind Warriors are proficient with the Quarterstaff, War Fan, Light Crossbow, Javelin, Spear, Longspear, and Short Spear as well as her unarmed strikes. Wind Warriors are not proficient in any armor or shields.
Unarmed Strike: A Wind Warrior gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat and deals 1d4 damage when using an unarmed strike (for a medium creature). All style levels stack to determine when unarmed damage increases. The increases are as follows: 1d6, 1d8, 1d10, 2d6, 2d8, 2d10, 3d6. The damage does not increase passed 3d6.
AC Bonus: While a Wind Warrior is wearing no more than light armor and have no more than light encumbrance, she may add your wisdom modifier to AC. This bonus applies to both touch and flat-footed AC. Additionally, a Wind Warrior gains a defense bonus that increases her AC. These bonuses stack.
Ki Pool: A Wind Warrior has a Ki pool with a number of points equal to 1/2 her class level plus her wisdom modifier. These points can be spent each encounter to execute a technique and are refreshed after every encounter.
Flurry of Blows: Whenever a Wind Warrior makes a standard action attack, she may make one extra attack at a -5 penalty. Whenever a Wind Warrior makes a full-round attack, she may make an extra attack at a -2 penalty. A Wind Warrior must expend 1 Ki point to use this ability.
Acrobatics: A Wind Warrior may add her wisdom modifier as a bonus to all tumble, jump, and balance checks
Evasion: A Wind Warrior gains evasion as the Rogue ability.
Weapon Strike: A Wind Warrior may deal damage with a class weapon equal to her unarmed strike damage. Additionally, a Wind Warrior may take fighter-only feats as if she had fighter level equal to her Wind Warrior levels.
Fast Movement: A Wind Warrior moves as fast as the wind to stay out of harm's way. A Wind Warrior gains a +10ft bonus to her base land speed. This bonus increase to +20ft 9th level, +30ft at 15th level and +40ft at 18th level.
Swift Step: A Wind Warrior can expend 1 Ki point to instantly take a 5 foot step that provokes an attack of opportunity. This ability may be used as an immediate action, but not more than once per round.
Sway in the Wind: A Wind Warrior can increase her defenses by moving too fast for others to hit her. By taking a move action, a Wind Warrior may spend a number of Ki points up to her wisdom modifier, granting her a +2 dodge bonus to AC per point spent until the end of her next turn. This bonus increase to +4 at 12th level and +6 at 20th level. At 17th level a Wind Warrior can instead activate this technique by taking an immediate action, though she must take a move action on her next turn to recover.
Fury of the Wind: At the end of a charge, if the Wind Warrior moved at least up to her base land speed, she may make a full-round attack. A Wind Warrior must expend 1 Ki point to use this ability.
Improved Flurry of Blows: The penalty for the extra attack in a standard action is reduced to -2 and the penalty is removed for a full round action. Additionally, you may make one more extra attack at a -5 and -2 on a standard action attack and full-round attack respectively. A Wind Warrior must expend 1 Ki point to use this ability.
Lift of the Gale: A Wind Warrior is always considered to have a running start on all jump checks.
Improved Swift Step: A Wind Warrior can expend 1 Ki point to instantly take up to two 5 foot steps which provoke attacks of opportunity. This ability may be used as an immediate action, but not more than once per round.
Greater Flurry of Blows: The penalty for the first extra attack in a standard action is removed. The penalty of the second extra attack in a standard action is reduced to -2 and removed for a full-round attack. Additionally, you may make one more extra attack at a -5 and -2 on a standard action attack and full-round attack respectively. A Wind Warrior must expend 1 Ki point to use this ability.
Greater Swift Step: A Wind Warrior can expend 1 Ki point to instantly take up to three 5 foot steps which provoke attacks of opportunity. This ability may be used as an immediate action, but not more than once per round.
Master of the Breeze: A Wind Warrior who has mastered her style is a paragon of dexterous and flowing attacks and dodges. A Wind Warrior may resolve her attacks with class weapons and unarmed strikes as touch attacks. A Wind Warrior must spend 1 Ki point per attack to use this ability.
While I am pleased to hear this, I am sure there are still some bugs to work out. I would love to hear about some samples using this system.
Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing
I definitely will be trying this out, I only got to scan through it, but I was terribly excited and will hopefully make an example tomorrow. However, I do have a nitpick errata that I noticed, table 14-7 page 135 lists the Halfling as have +2 Int, not +2 Cha as it is in the racial chapter.
I think that Halfings should get the charisma boost and gnomes get the intelligence boost, I've always used more "tinker" gnomes (though not as eccentric and crazy as the Dragonlance tinker gnomes). I think it works a lot better.
On a slightly related topic, I noticed that in the NPC generation rules, Table 14-7 page 135, halflings are listed as have a +2 Int, not Cha.
I like the new monk, however, there is one glaring error (to me at least). I've always slotted the monk as a mobile combatant, however, one of his main features goes completely against this philosophy and that is flurry of blows. Flurry is a full-round action, meaning a monk needs to choose if he will go mobile fighter or front-liner, and he just can't stand up to other front-liners and thus almost completely ignores flurry. Please, make flurry a standard attack action or have an option to use it at the end of a charge, or something to allow a mobile monk to use it more than once or twice a campaign when he gets cornered.
This is even clunkier than the original 3.0 psionic "cantrips". I'm happy not giving them 0-level powers - it fits with their motif of fewer augmentable powers rather than more scalable powers.
Agreed. I would much prefer it to make psionics a bit more distant from other magic users. As it stands in 3.5, a psion is just a variant wizard. I want a psion that is definitely different, give him some other abilities that fit the psionic flavor, but not cantrip-type things, maybe something like initiative boosts, or uncanny dodge.
Endurance = Run + Swim (CON)/QUOTE]
I like this combo. It keeps with the "no more than two skills into one" for balance and it makes since (more so than combining them all into one anyway).
I like fly, it is neat and easy to use. Anyway, most players won't be flying much so you can safely ignore the skill and just assume that flying monsters can do anything as if they always take 10.
To tell the truth, I'm glad it won't come out until next week, I've got exams and I don't think I could resist the temptation of downloading and that would lead to more problems...
I've redone some of my previous shield feats and added a few more.
Spoiler:
Deft Shield Prerequisites: Improved Shield Bash, Shield Proficiency
Benefit: Whenever you take a full-round or standard action to attack you may make a Shield Bash at your highest attack bonus before any attacks are made.
Shield Slam (Combat) Prerequisites: Deft Shield, Improved Shield Bash, Shield Proficiency, base attack bonus +6
Benefit: Whenever you attack with a shield bash, you may choose to for the damage to reduce the target's AC for 1 round instead of reducing hit points.
Improved Shield Slam (Combat) Prerequisites: Deft Shield, Improved Shield Bash, Shield Proficiency, Shield Slam, base attack bonus +11
Benefit: Whenever you attack with a shield bash, you may choose to for the damage to reduce the target's AC for 1 round instead of reducing hit points. Additionally, the target becomes flat-footed until the beginning of his next turn, this applies even if you choose to deal hit point damage with this ability.
Stunning Bash (Combat) Prerequisites: Improved Shield Bash, Shield Proficiency, base attack bonus +3
Benefit: Whenever you make a shield bash this turn you deal no damage, instead target is dazed 1 round.
Greater Stunning Bash (Combat) Prerequisites: Improved Shield Bash, Shield Proficiency, Stunning Bash, base attack bonus +11
Benefit: Whenever you make a shield bash this turn you deal no damage, instead target is dazed 1d4+1 rounds.
Shield Ally Prerequisites: Shield Proficiency, base attack bonus +1
Benefit: As an immediate action you may forgo your shield bonus until the beginning of your next turn to apply it to an adjacent ally for one attack.
Improved Shield Ally Prerequisites: Shield Ally, Shield Proficiency, base attack bonus +3
Benefit: Your Shield Ally ability now grants your shield bonus to an adjacent ally until the beginning of your next turn.
Spell Shield Prerequisites: Shield Proficiency, base attack bonus +6
Benefit: Once per round as an immediate action you may forgo your shield bonus to AC until the beginning of your next turn to gain your shield bonus as a deflection bonus verse a single spell that requires a melee or ranged touch attack.
Improved Spell Shield Prerequisites: Shield Proficiency, Spell Shield, base attack bonus +12
Benefit: Your shield bonus counts as a deflection bonus against spells that require melee or ranged touch attacks.
Personally, I like the human automatic weapon proficiency if only for one thing it fixes: a commoner can now hunt with a bow *gasp*! No more are the days of commoner hunters who struggled to grasp the complexity of wielding a hunting bow, now all commoners can use one without fear (if it fits the character of course). Traders can be commoners who are trained in the use of a sword to protect themselves, or a farmer with a scythe in case he needs to riot.
As for the weapon penalty, the removal of all penalties from 4e is one of the biggest turn offs for me and the removal of weapon penalties is just stupid. I could never pick up a sword and use it with basic ability, I just don't know how, I would easily harm myself.
I agree, it will make it easier for new weapons to be added in and it will allow other classes to gain weapon group benefits by detaching it from fighter and allowing feats to access the mechanic.
Since we have the Linguistics skill now, it'd be easy enough to say that anyone without at least one rank in it is illiterate.
I like that idea, but the rules don't give wizards free ranks in Linguistics (and wizards HAVE to be able to read, or they're not wizards) so I'm not sure that was the intent. Still, I might houserule it and run with it. Good stuff!
Not necessarily true, a wizard could just memorize symbols but not actually know what they mean. When he copies them down a tutor just helps him pronounce it and explains what those symbols do when cast as a spell. All the savage wizard does then is remember what spells are on what page.
Stay, though I'll houserule it to "dying" (you have Con mod rounds, minimum 1 before actual death) like those final fantasy and other RPG "death" spells that give a count down.
I think the Turn Outsider is very balanced, it can be very powerful in the right campaigns, but its overall effectiveness is directly in the control of the DM. The DM needs to be sure that enough of the targeted outsiders (or elementals for the other feat) come up that it is useful, but not too many to make the feat broken. It's the same with the turn undead ability of the cleric. I ran a playtest encounter sequence with a cleric with Turn Outsider (evil) and it worked out great, two of the 4 encounters where evil outsiders, but the cleric still used the burst for healing in the other combats, overall I'm fairly impressed by how the cleric turned out.
This horse (or donkey if you will) has been beaten to a pulp, raised, beaten again, resurected, beaten again and now you're about to animate its bloody pulp of a remain to beat it again.
Let it go people. It's moving in a different direction now. Look at the rogue Iconic. That's where this is going from now on (from what I understantd of James Jaccobs' comments).
Just let it go... Please... ;)
NEVER!! Seriously though, many people (myself included) do not like those ears, they are just ridiculous. The Rogue isn't too bad, but the "races" picture is terrible. It's too comedic for a serious game.
And this would help with backwards compatibility with older 3.5 products how?
Heck, if you implement this idea, <lifts glass to every 2 weapon style fighter in the game>
Just off the top of my head a 20th level fighter with this system under the pathfinder setting with weapon specialization and then greater weapon specialization would have +7d6 damage per attack, just off off the 2 feats and his weapon training abilities. Im sure there are other feats or abilities we can throw in here for more carnage.
Screw playing the wizard... just play the 20th level fighter using the bow and as many rapid shot abilities as you can muster.
How would +1 weapons relate to this? 1d6 as well? the +2 weapon is now +2d6? wooohoo, I'm gonna need more six siders!
I said only class features and the Weapon Specialization. True this would boost the fighter up a lot, so tone it down for him, maybe just +1d6 flat that doesn't increase.
So according to Slow but Steady a dwarves movement rate is NEVER affected by armor or encumbrance? Gee does anyone else see the WoW dwarf with tons and tons of magical items, goodies and gold and still moving at 20 a round? That is ludicrous. I hope that ability is changed by the final version.
Um....hows is that any different than from the 3.5 dwarf?
I think smite should be allowed for all weapons, ranged or melee. It's not like it unbalances anything, but it is really annoying under the current rules. As it stands you to take a feat from the Book of Exalted Deeds, not one of those that is normally allowed in my games.
Firstly I'd like to comment that I like how rage points are calculated now and I don't really see the problem. The paladin's lay on hands is a factor of his charisma, so is the cleric's channel energy. If you made it fixed then the barbarian wouldn't be as con focused and would only have to worry about strength thereby becoming SAD. However, I would like to see an official stance on retroactive rage points, I too would houserule them in and it makes sense with all the other retroactive points we have already.
Secondly, I would like to ask the OP what rage powers were used, how often and what did you (and the player) think of the cost for each?
Really the only boost I think it needs is for TWF to require one feat which gives you an off-hand attack for every iterative attack so you don't need to waste three feats on it.
Apparently I am staunchly in the minority here, but I find the Sorcerer imminently more powerful than the Wizard in every campaign I have been in simply because you can choose your spells at the time of need. That flexibility is HUGE! I think most here are greatly undervaluing it. I usually play wizards, because I like their flavor better, but that whole versatility thing can not be understated.
I have not played the PRPG version of either yet, but I think from what I have seen, if anything, this version of the Sorcerer widens that gap rather than narrowing it. However, the Wizard has some pretty powerful upgrades too, so I will keep that comment conditional until I play both.
But the wizard has more versatility than the sorcerer because he isn't limited to a number of spells known and with the new magic item creation rules the wizard can just make wands or staves of those spells that would need to be cast more often. The only reason my players ever choose a sorcerer over a wizard is that they are too lazy to prepare spells every day, otherwise they'd go wizard.
I've recruited one of my friends to do quick Chat combats, just 4 encounters within one game day at 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th level increments. I basically just whip up some random encounters. I hope to do an actual adventure at some point with one of the Pathfinder adventures.
i'm on the fence with Power Attack. I like the no-math routine; I like that its all or nothing; but I still think its a bit limiting - in that you really have to have a high strength in order to make good use of it; its not going to really help people get over damage reduction or do extra damage if their strength is in the 14-17 range. Plus - I have always considered those who complained about the 2 for 1 damage output with two-handed weapons to have merrit.
What I would do is to keep things simple (all or nothing)
Power Attack: -4 to attack rolls. +4 to damage. (+6 w/ 2 handed weapon) 1.5 damage as it is with stregnth makes sense.
Then with BAB +6 pre req:
Imprvd Power Attack: -8 / +8 (+12 w/ 2 handed weapon).
Simple, precise, math can already be calculated out - not too much with two handed weapon, and allows for enough damage to be done to warrant taking it with those 14-17 strength characters.
You are not alone. The shield feats are really kind of lackluster, maybe its because Deft Shield is, well, crap. The only reason to take it is for the other feats, otherwise Improved Shield Bash improves all the benefits and has no prerequisites. Personally, I'd like the shield feats to draw from RL offensive shield use, you bash with the shield, not for damage, but lower the opponent's AC or make him flat-footed. Additionally, rework Deft Shield to allow a Shield Bash as an additional attack, not TWF, here is what I would do:
Deft Shield Prerequisites: Improved Shield Bash, Shield Proficiency
Benefit: Whenever you take a full-round or standard action to attack you may make a Shield Bash at your highest attack bonus before any attacks are made.
Shield Slam (Combat) Prerequisites: Deft Shield, Improved Shield Bash, Shield Proficiency, base attack bonus +6
Benefit: Whenever you attack with a shield bash, you may choose to for the damage to reduce the target's AC for 1 round instead of reducing hit points.
Improved Shield Slam (Combat) Prerequisites: Deft Shield, Improved Shield Bash, Shield Proficiency, Shield Slam, base attack bonus +11
Benefit: Whenever you attack with a shield bash, you may choose to for the damage to reduce the target's AC for 1 round instead of reducing hit points. Additionally, the target becomes flat-footed until the beginning of his next turn, this applies even if you choose to deal hit point damage with this ability.
Stunning Bash (Combat) Prerequisites: Improved Shield Bash, Shield Proficiency, base attack bonus +3
Benefit: Whenever you make a shield bash this turn you deal no damage, instead target is stunned 1 round.
Greater Stunning Bash (Combat) Prerequisites: Improved Shield Bash, Shield Proficiency, Stunning Bash, base attack bonus +11
Benefit: Whenever you make a shield bash this turn you deal no damage, instead target is stunned 1d4+1 rounds.
To broaden that, could it be The Wizards of Thay, meaning any wizard from a particular country?
I'm putting the rest under spoilers just in case. We are currently running Rise of the Runelords.
** spoiler omitted **
Anyway, I really liked your idea. Without playing it, the new abilities seem balanced enough that it wouldn't overpower the ranger, but give him some more areas to shine, especially the Favored Environment. I also like the idea of speeding up the advancement of the Favored Enemy.
Hmm...if I was DM I think I'd allow the wizards of Thay as a favored organization, but really it would be on a case-by-case basis for a group other than a set-in-stone organization. For example, I wouldn't allow warriors of Thay since there are bound to be many of them while not very many wizards.
I do like the idea of speeding up advancement and allowing the player to choose either terrain, enemy, or organization each time.
