2E Complete Handbooks Revisited (Part Two: Ranger's Handbook)

[burrahobbit]

So it's been a long time since I finished Part One: Bard's Handbook in what I still hope will be an extensive series of conversions of the AD&D 2nd Edition complete class handbooks to the Pathfinder rules.

As I noted for the Bard's Handbook, my goal here is to try to make the content in these books usable in and relevant to a Pathfinder game. Sometimes that will involve a conversion of a kit into an archetype or prestige class, or updating a spell or magic item to the PF rules. Other times it will just be pointing to an existing archetype, spell, or rule that covers the ground already. I'll try not to reinvent any wheels. And sometimes it will just be highlighting some of the cool, funny, or inspiring system-neutral ideas that can be drawn from the book. As always, I'm very grateful for any comments or suggestions on the conversions.

Finally, this isn't meant to be a replacement of the original book, but a conversion supplement. If you don't have a well-loved hard copy of the book, you can find a PDF at dndclassics.com.

So, without further ado, on to the Complete Ranger's Handbook!

Chapter 1: Character Creation:

Most of this chapter has been rendered obsolete by 3rd Edition and Pathfinder rules, but there is a nice discussion of primary terrain (p. 12), including my personal favorite thing in RP sourcebooks, a random table (Table 14, p. 13). There is also an optional rule for Primary Terrain Specialization, which is effectively made part of the Ranger class in Pathfinder.

Chapter 2: Ranger Abilities:

This chapter, again, is almost entirely superseded by 3E/PF rules, but it’s still got some things going for it. The discussions of tracking and nature lore are decent guides for GMs assigning different difficulty classes to Survival and Knowledge (Nature) checks.

Species Enemy: The rules have changed, but the random species enemy generator (Tables 20-28, pp. 20-21) is lots of fun. Since the table is based on single monsters, rather than types or subtypes, you’ll have to extrapolate, but it is a great source of ideas, and far more flavorful than the list in the CRB. It’s one thing to say that your species enemy is “outsider (native)” or “human” but you roll up “jann” or “slaver, human”, and you’ve got yourself a backstory.

Animal Empathy: The specific rules aren’t of much use here, but there are some good general guidelines for how animals might respond to a ranger based on Wild Empathy rolls, and why you want a ranger picking out your next horse with you.

Nature Lore: Not very helpful, but might give an idea of how to set DCs for Knowledge (Nature) checks.

Survival: Ditto.

Strongholds: There are a few paragraphs on building strongholds, which might hold some attraction for a ranger using rules from the Ultimate Campaign sourcebook. Especially the notion of a Floating Swamp Citadel (p. 26).

[burrahobbit]

Chapter 3: Followers

I almost decided not to convert this book next, and this chapter was the reason. It’s just so darn cool, especially back when a ranger could expect a number of followers. But it was broken and unpredictable even by the standards of these 2E class handbooks (“I got a Griffon!” “I got a prairie dog.”), and it doesn’t fit with PF rules, because it includes not just animals but magical beasts, humanoids, and a variety of other kinds of creatures as potential followers. So it’s hard to give a straightforward conversion. I don’t have a simple way to deal with all of this and preserve the fun and randomness of the table, but here’s what I offer. I’ve split the tables in two. The first table is for animal companions, to be acquired in the normal way; when necessary, I'll create new companion animal stats, but in most cases I'll just file off the serial numbers of an existing one. The second table is for potential cohorts that might be acquired through the Leadership feat, using the rules for Monster Cohorts, with an effective cohort level given. “Standard NPC race” refers to the CRB races, although there’s no reason others might not be included.

I know random tables are a little out of fashion these days, but I still love them. Even if you don't want to roll, they might be a source of inspiration. Because the animal companions are all (very roughly) equivalent in power, there shouldn’t be much problem with rolling randomly, unless you’re the sort of person who immediately runs the numbers and goes for an Allosaurus or Roc. The cohort table is another story, because of the wildly varying power levels. Obviously the appropriateness of the roll will depend on the current Leadership score of the PC. If I were using this table in a PF game, I would apply two rules of thumb: (1) if a randomly-rolled cohort is of an unsuitable alignment (e.g., a white dragon for a Lawful Good ranger PC), the player may reroll, or the GM may elect to allow the cohort to be an exceptional member of its kind with an alignment appropriate for the ranger. (2) if a randomly-rolled cohort is of a higher level than attainable by the PC’s leadership score, the player may reroll, and/or the cohort may be held in reserve, to be introduced when the character’s leadership score is high enough.

In all cases, if you really want to get the full benefit of the ranger’s followers, I recommend the Boon Companion feat.

So let’s get to the tables! First up is arctic (and, well, Antarctic, for the penguins), Table 33 in the HB. I’ll do this as a running Google Doc, because Paizo’s implementation of BBCode doesn’t seem to allow for tables.

Arctic/Antarctic Animal Companions and Cohorts

Some of these might take a while, but I'll keep plugging along before turning to the kits, in hopes that there are people out there who enjoy these things as much as I do. Comments and suggestions welcome!

[Thanael]

dotting for later.

Always loved the followers.

[burrahobbit]

Aquatic Companions and Cohorts are up!

Animal Companions and Cohorts

[burrahobbit]

OK. Desert animal companions/cohorts are up on the Google Doc, and I’ve also added the enormously long list of Forest animal companions. Forest cohorts will follow. Along with the usual re-skinnings of various existing companions, two of the possible companions, the giant porcupine and the giant skunk, don’t have good matches in the existing animal companions list. Board member Mortagon has made a conversion of the Giant Porcupine, along with the stats for using it as an animal companion. See this thread.

As for the skunk, both regular and giant varieties have Bestiary listings, but no information on using them as companions. I’ve put together companion statistics below, and since I'm not sure I'm clear on how the published various animal companions are balanced against each other, any thoughts or suggestions are welcome.

Skunk, Giant

Starting Statistics:
Size Small; Speed 20 ft.; AC +1 natural armor; Attack bite (1d4); musk 2x/day; Ability Scores Str 13, Dex 13, Con 11, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 4
SQ: low-light vision, scent

4th level Advancement
Size Medium; Speed 30 ft.; Attack bite (1d6); musk 2x/day
Ability Scores: Str +4, Dex -2, Con +2

Musk: Twice per day, a giant skunk may make a ranged touch attack against a single enemy within 20 feet. With a successful ranged touch attack, the creature struck by this spray must make a Fortitude save (DC 12 + ½ HD + Con bonus) or be nauseated for 1d4 rounds and then sickened for 1d4 minutes by the horrific stench. A successful save reduces the effect to only 1d4 rounds of being sickened. A creature cannot use the scent ability as long as it is affected by this musk. The save DC is Constitution-based.

[burrahobbit]

Apologies for the hiatus - I decided to wait to update this thread until I'd finished converting all of the terrain follower tables. So here they are!

Ranger's Handbook:Animal Companions and Cohorts

I have yet to make conversions for the Aarakocra, the Wemic, and the Galeb Duhr, none of which apparently have official Pathfinder versions (presumably for IP reasons). I'll tackle that a little later, but since it would be going off on a tangent from the purpose of this thread, I'll leave it to one side, and point you to the D&D 3.5 versions of these creatures if you really, really need a Galeb Duhr cohort right now.

I'll move on to the kits next, but I welcome your feedback. This is very much a work in progress, and I'm open to suggestions. The only real rules-balancing bit here has to do with the Effective Cohort Level, so I'm interested to hear your thoughts.

But more generally, are there other companions or cohorts you'd like to see make the master list? I tried to include almost everything from the follower tables, except when it just wouldn't pass the laugh test when compared with other possibilities (i.e., a vole companion).

But there are some animals that suit the various terrains that haven't made the list, and there are scores of potentially suitable cohorts, especially given the removal of alignment restrictions for rangers. I only discovered some of the Advanced Race Guide races late in the game, so they aren't included in most of the tables, but they are in some of the last ones I did.

On the other hand, would you like to see some of the tables pared down? The forest table in particular is enormous, and, while you won't find a guy who likes dinosaurs more than I do, I think it's a little weird that a huge percentage of possible followers, according to d20pfsrd, are dinosaurs. That's not quite right for every campaign.

Ok, I'll take a brief pause, then on to the kits!

[Misroi]

I've a soft spot for this book in particular. I made an urban ranger in the first D&D campaign I was in about two decades ago now.

[burrahobbit]

Chapter 4: Ranger Kits

On to the kits! Often really cool, sometimes duds, sometimes just plain mind-boggling in their imbalance, these are what everyone remembers about the 2e Complete Handbooks. As I’ve mentioned before, I won’t try to reinvent the wheel here: if there is an archetype, collection of feats, or other rules that do the trick, I’ll use those. Such is the case with our first kit:

Beastmaster:

This is a classic. The ranger at home with the beasts of the wild, whose animal companions are his truest friends and allies. Paizo has very kindly created a Beastmaster archetype of its own. The rules map so nicely onto the Beastmaster kit that I suspect there was some influence here, and I won’t bother with a separate conversion. It’s interesting to note that this kit allowed for advancement of animal companions (by splitting experience with them), a concept that I think was a major step forward in the current edition.

There are a few abilities of the 2e kit that are not replicated by the Paizo archetype. One of them, “Animal Horde,” allows a 9th-level Beastmaster to summon 100 HD per level (!) of animals to come and fight for him. That’s right. 100 HD/level. Sure, it takes a week to gather them, and there’s an implication (though no rule!) that this is usually only done once per year, but a pack of more than 80 allosaurs at 9th level is probably worth waiting around for about as long as your standard hold time on a call to Comcast. So, points for awesome imagery, but…no. But another ability, Animal Telepathy, is kind of neat, and probably not game-breaking in the way that walking into your next dungeon with 450 wolves might be, so I’d be willing to add it to the mix:

Animal Telepathy (Su) At 11th Level, the Beastmaster may communicate telepathically with animals within 50’, as if he were under the effects of a Speak with Animals spell.
This ability replaces Quarry.

Next up, the Explorer!

[Bardess]

An article on Kobold Quarterly featured the Animal Leadership feat, that gives a lot of animal followers and an animal/magical beast cohort. That would pretty good do the trick. ^_^
I'm waiting eagerly for the other kits ^_^ The Seeker could have limited access to a cleric domain, and the Stalker would do well as a spell-less ranger with rogue talents, something that many miss.

[burrahobbit]

@Bardess: thanks for pointing that out and sending me to my back issues! It's KQ issue 18, p. 82, "Beast Masters" by Marc Radle. The Monster Cohort feat seems to run along similar lines.

[burrahobbit]

The next two kits:

Explorer:

Another classic archetype. This is the ranger as wanderer, geographer, anthropologist, and discoverer of new lands. A student of maps, natural geography, and human society, the explorer is at home in the world. Here’s my take on an archetype, which will require a bit more focus on Knowledge skills than the average ranger might take. I like the ideas behind some of these abilities, but I’m not sure I’m happy with how the substitutions balance out, so I appreciate your suggestions:

Explorer (Ranger Archetype)

Skilled Linguist (Ex) An Explorer may learn two languages per rank assigned to the Linguistics skill, instead of the usual one. Linguistics is a class skill for Explorers.
This ability replaces Track.

Well-Traveled (Ex) An Explorer adds her class level to Knowledge (Geography) and Knowledge (Local) checks. Knowledge (Local) is a class skill for Explorers.
This ability replaces Wild Empathy.

Citizen of the World (Ex) Beginning at 4th level, an Explorer may use a Knowledge (Geography) check in place of a Knowledge (History) or Knowledge (Religion) check, and may use a Knowledge (Local) check in place of a Diplomacy or Knowledge (Nobility) check.
This ability replaces Hunter’s Bond.

Find the Path (Su) Beginning at 11th level, an Explorer may cast Find the Path once per day, using her ranger level as her caster level.
This ability replaces Quarry.

At Home in the World (Ex) At 19th level, an Explorer is never lost while on her native plane. She can always discern true north and can unerringly find her way to any location with which she is familiar (and estimate the time required and best way to arrive there). She is immune to the maze spell and similar effects.
This ability replaces Improved Quarry.

Falconer:

The Falconer is exactly what it sounds like, and was the kit of one of my beloved 2nd edition characters. I have a real soft spot for this kit, and, lucky me, Paizo has a very nice conversion already, from Ultimate Combat: Falconer. Again, seemingly very much inspired by the kit.

[burrahobbit]

Ferelan:

This is a ranger raised by animals, a Tarzan, Mowgli, or Atalanta sort. In Pathfinder, this theme could very well be covered by the Barbarian class (especially with some of the more animalistic rage powers), or the aforementioned Beastmaster archetype. One of the cornerstones of the kit is, in fact, a barbarian-style rage, so the simplest recommendation would be to play a Barbarian/Ranger multiclass.

There’s also the Wild Stalker archetype from Ultimate Combat. Although the background is different, the Wild Stalker does have rage powers, and might make a good choice for someone wishing to adopt this kit. It was a happy-sad moment when I discovered this kit after I’d tried to balance the rage powers out, since a lot of my decisions matched those of the designer of the archetype. So now I’ve revised my conversion slightly, borrowing heavily from the Wild Stalker, but with some differences (the biggest one being the retention of the Hunter’s Bond ability, since the ability to have an animal companion seems almost fundamental to the Ferelan kit).

Ferelan (Ranger Archetype)

Animal Family (Ex) The Ferelan was raised by animals and has a special report with a single species of animal. He may automatically speak with an animal of that species as though using the Speak with Animals spell, and receives a +4 bonus to all Diplomacy and Handle Animal checks made while interacting with an animal of that species. This bonus increases to +8 at 10th level.
This ability replaces the ranger’s first favored enemy ability.

Animal Stealth (Ex) Beginning at 2nd level, a Ferelan gains a +4 bonus on Stealth checks.
This ability replaces the ranger’s 2nd-level combat style feat.

Feral Rage (Ex) Beginning at 4th level, a Ferelan may enter a savage rage. This ability functions like that of a barbarian of a level equivalent to the Ferelan’s level -3.
This ability replaces the ranger’s ability to cast spells.

Familial Bond (Ex) At 4th level, the Ferelan must select the animal companion option for her Hunter’s Bond ability.

Rage Powers (Ex) At 5th level, a Ferelan may select a rage power from the barbarian rage power list. She gains another rage power each five levels after 5th (to a maximum of four rage powers at 20th level).
This ability replaces the ranger’s second, third, fourth, and fifty favored enemy abilities.

Wild Talents (Ex) At 6th level, a Ferelan may either take a rage power or gain a +2 insight bonus to any one of the following skills: Acrobatics, Climb, Perception, Stealth, Survival, or Swim. The Ferelan can gain one of these two benefits again every five levels after 6th (to a maximum of 4 times at 20th level)
This ability replaces the ranger’s 6th, 10th- 14th, and 18th level combat style feat abilities.

Notes:
I was having a hard time balancing the “Call of the Wild” ability from the kit (in the book, this allows the Ferelan in her primary terrain to summon 1d4 familial animals once a day by howling at the top of her lungs). Because animals have rather different statistics, my thought was to basically allow the Ferelan to summon an additional temporary animal companion, which would ensure that things were more or less balanced whether she was raised by wolves, boars, wild dogs, or ostriches. But then there’s the question of what it should replace. Quarry and Improved Quarry are right around the levels I might want this ability to kick in, but they’re not very commensurate powers, and I kind of like the idea of the Ferelan keeping these abilities.

Another thought is to tack it somehow onto the Animal Family ability as part of the trade-off for losing access to spells. By-the-book archetype design doesn’t like trading things across levels, though, so in the end I decided against it. What do you think? Should the Ferelan be able to summon her brothers and sisters? If so, would gaining one temporary animal companion at 11th level and 2 at 19th be suitable replacements for Quarry and Improved Quarry?

[Bardess]

The Feral Child human druid archetype is very similar to the original Feralan. Maybe it can be inspirating.

[burrahobbit]

Revisiting this handbook has reminded me how many fantastic ideas there are in it for interesting roles a ranger might take. The Forest Runner is essentially the rebel against the powers that be. This could fit everything from Robin Hood to the Rangers of Ithilien to the Rebel Alliance, from Ned of the Hill to the Balkan hajduks. The Infiltrator archetype covers some of this ground, but it’s really pretty different, so I offer my own version of the idea.

Forest Runner:

This was an interesting kit to convert, because it draws on three separate strains: the classic ranger, the rogue-like stealth infiltrator, and the bard-style inspirational rebel. I’ve tried to fit all of these into the archetype below. Obviously, a Forest Runner ranger will want to pay attention to her Charisma score, something that isn’t always a top priority for rangers. A ranger/rogue could probably also fill this role, or a ranger/bard if you really wanted to emphasize the “heroic rebel” aspect.

Forest Runner (Ranger Archetype)

Succor (Ex) A Forest Runner gains a bonus equal to her favored enemy bonus to Diplomacy checks when requesting assistance in defeating that favored enemy or when seeking information to be used against that enemy.
This ability replaces Wild Empathy.

Infiltrator (Ex) Beginning at 3rd level, a Forest Runner may apply her favored enemy bonus to Diplomacy and Disguise checks when interacting with a favored enemy.
This ability replaces Endurance.

Hunter’s Bond (Ex) At 4th level, the Forest Runner must choose the companion bond option for her hunter’s bond ability.

Rally to the Cause (Ex) Beginning at 11th level, whenever the Forest Runner uses her Hunter’s Bond ability, she adds ½ her Charisma bonus (if any), rounded up, to the favored enemy bonus her allies receive.
This ability replaces Quarry.

Rebel Leader (Ex) At 19th level, a Forest Runner receives double her normal Favored Terrain bonus to Knowledge (Geography), Perception, Stealth, and Survival skill checks while in her favored terrain. Additionally, whenever the Forest Runner uses her Hunter’s Bond ability, she adds her full Charisma bonus (if any) to the favored enemy bonus her allies receive.
This ability replaces Improved Quarry.

[burrahobbit]

And here's the Giant Killer, one of my all-time favorites. I had thought Paizo had done a version of this, but I couldn't find it, so I came up with my own archetype. Highly situational, which makes it difficult to balance, but I decided in the context of the kit to make an archetype that pretty much overperforms when fighting Giants and will be less useful (but not useless) in other circumstances.

Giant Killer:

Against the Giants (Ex) At 1st level, the ranger gains a +4 bonus on Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival checks against creatures of the Humanoid (Giant) type. Likewise, she gets a +4 bonus on weapon attack and damage rolls against them. She may make Knowledge skill checks untrained when attempting to identify these creatures. At 5th level, and every 5 levels thereafter, these bonuses increase by +4.
This ability replaces Favored Enemy, and all abilities that reference the ranger’s favored enemy (such as Hunter’s Bond and Master Hunter) are treated as applying to Humanoid (Giant) creatures.

Hard to Hit (Ex) Beginning at 3rd level, when fighting a creature of at least one size category greater than she is, the giant killer gets an additional +2 dodge bonus to AC against that creature.
This ability replaces Endurance.

Penetrate Defenses (Ex) Beginning at 7th level, the giant killer, when fighting a creature of at least one size category larger, the giant killer may ignore the first threatened square she moves out of for purposes of provoking attacks of opportunity.
This ability replaces Woodland Stride.

Roll Away (Ex) Beginning at 9th level, whenever a creature of one size category or more larger than the giant killer would deal damage to her with a successful melee or thrown attack, the giant killer may make a Reflex save (DC = 10 + creature’s Base Attack bonus); if successful, the giant killer takes half damage from that attack (rounded down).
This ability replaces Evasion.

Infuriate (Ex) Beginning at 11th level, as a standard action, a giant killer can target one Humanoid (giant) creature within her line of sight. The targeted creature must succeed at a Will save (DC 10 + ranger level + Wisdom bonus) or become infuriated for a number of rounds equal to the giant killer’s Wisdom bonus (minimum of 1). During this time, the creature may only attack the giant killer and takes a -4 penalty to attack rolls, armor class, and skill checks.
This ability replaces Quarry

Improved Roll Away (Ex) Beginning at 16th level, a giant killer who succeeds at a Reflex save to Roll Away takes no damage from the attack.
This ability replaces Improved Evasion.

Improved Infuriate (Ex) Beginning at 19th level, a giant killer may target any creature of at least one size category larger than she is with her Infuriate ability.
This ability replaces Improved Quarry.

[burrahobbit]

Next up is the Greenwood Ranger, which probably takes the cake for the most bizarre kit in all of 2nd Edition. It's a ranger that basically turns into a three-armed tree person. In these conversions I've mostly steered clear of prestige classes because I think the archetype is a much more elegant solution to rules-based class variants, and because I really don't like having to plot out a character's path in advance. But the Greenwood Ranger is practically a prestige class already, and I think that mechanic fits it better. So I've made a 5-level prestige class, linked here as a .pdf, since the messageboards don't handle tables well. Enjoy, and as always, comments and critiques are welcome!

Greenwood Scion

[Bardess]

It could have been a ranger-esque equivalent of the Stonelord Dwarf Paladin.

[burrahobbit]

Sorry for the delay. Next up is the Guardian. The idea behind this kit is a ranger as protector of a specific tract of natural land. She has special abilities within this area, and must ensure that it’s cared for if she leaves. I think it’s really nice thematically, but can cause some frustrations in play for the obvious reason that adventurers tend to go adventuring. The Pathfinder prestige class Nature’s Warden from the APG has some echoes of this kit, especially in the Guarded Lands ability, which also allows for reattunement to a new guarded land, exactly what the kit needs to be a bit friendlier to wandering PCs.

Guardian:

Guardian (Ranger Archetype)

Sworn Protectorate (Ex) At 3rd level the Guardian may choose a specific area of up to 1 square mile in size which she swears to protect. Within this sworn protectorate, she receives a +4 bonus to initiative checks and Knowledge (geography), Perception, Stealth, and Survival skill checks, as well as a +1 morale bonus to attack rolls and saving throws against fear and charm effects. Within her sworn protectorate, the Guardian leaves no trail and may not be tracked.

At 8th level and every five levels thereafter, the area of a Guardian’s sworn protectorate doubles, her skill bonus and initiative bonus while in a sworn protectorate increases by +2, and her morale bonus to attack rolls and saving throws increases by +1.

A Guardian may relinquish an old protectorate and attune herself to a new one by spending 24 hours in intensive study of the area. For the Guardian, all abilities, spells, magic items, and effects referencing Favored Terrain are read as referring to the sworn protectorate.

This ability replaces Favored Terrain.

Divine Protector (Su) At 4th level, the Guardian gains access to the Protection domain (including granted powers and one bonus spell per spell level), as a cleric of a level equivalent to her ranger level –3.
This ability replaces Hunter’s Bond.

[Bjørn Røyrvik]

I'm greatly enjoying these conversions. It's something I've thought about but never gotten off my lazy arse to do anything about.
Thank you for allowing me to stay lazy.

[burrahobbit]

Next up, the Justifier, who is a sort of master tactician and master-of-arms, the ranger in its most combat-focused form. It’s a little bit of a hodgepodge in terms of abilities – granting weapon specialization, coordinated attack bonuses, improved unarmed damage, and a proto-stunning fist – but all are basically underlining that this is a fightin’ ranger. Thus, one option to convert this kit would be to play a multiclass ranger/fighter. I’m not sure how rewarding that would be, but it would certainly capture the flavor. Another would be to play a straight fighter, focusing on a specific skill set, or a ranger emphasizing combat.

Here’s an archetype version of the kit, which gives the Justifier access to the fighter’s Weapon Training feature. A little audacious to give it at an earlier level than the fighter, but I don’t think it’s massively unbalancing. I’ve also given a version of the coordinated attack ability. The bonuses to unarmed attacks and stunning fist ability, on the other hand, are best represented by feats.

Justifier:

Justifier (Ranger Archetype)

Weapon Training (Ex) Beginning at 4th level, the Justifier gains access to the fighter’s Weapon Training class feature (she selects a weapon group and gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls, combat maneuver checks, and to CMD when defending against disarm and sunder attempts made against weapons from that group). She may select a new group of weapons in which to train, and her bonuses in existing weapon groups increase by +1, at 9th, 14th, and 19th level.

The Justifier casts spells as a ranger 3 levels lower (gaining access to her first spells at 7th level).

Coordinated Attack (Ex) Beginning at 7th level, the Justifier receives flanking bonuses and grants flanking bonuses to an ally whenever both she and that ally threaten an opponent in melee (regardless of their position vis-a-vis that opponent).

This ability replaces Woodland Stride.

[burrahobbit]

Next up, the Mountain Man (or as I call it, being both a West Virginian and a fan of gender-neutral archetype names, the Mountaineer). This one is another pretty cool idea for a ranger, calling to mind Davy Crockett and Grizzly Adams. There’s really no reason to restrict the concept to mountains, of course. The only terrain that wouldn’t make much sense is urban.

Mountaineer:

Mountaineer (Ranger Archetype)

The mountaineer has rejected the trappings of civilization in favor of a life of simplicity and self-sufficiency. Above all else, she values her privacy and independence.

Crude Weaponsmithing (Ex) A mountaineer can quickly improvise crude weapons out of wood, stone, and bone. She may make a Craft (Weaponsmithing) check on a daily rather than a weekly basis and without paying the raw materials cost, but only to craft one of the following (non-masterwork) weapons: Battle Axe, Dagger, Dart, Javelin, Handaxe, Knife, Light Hammer, Quarterstaff, Short Bow, Spear, Staff Sling, Throwing Axe, or Warhammer. Any weapons created with this ability are fragile (gaining the broken condition if the wielder rolls a natural 1 on an attack roll).

This ability replaces medium armor proficiency.

Ferocity (Ex) Beginning at 9th level, the mountaineer can continue to act when her hit point total is below 0. She is still staggered and loses 1 hit point each round, but she gains a +1 bonus to all rolls to become stable.

This ability replaces Evasion.

Will to Live (Ex) Beginning at 16th level, the mountaineer does not die until she has negative hit points equal to twice her Constitution score, and she gains an additional +1 bonus to all rolls to become stable.

This ability replaces Improved Evasion.

If you’re following along in the book, you’ll see that “Brew Healing Elixir” didn’t get translated to the Pathfinder version. I thought of a way to work it out, but any of the class features that it could replace (track, camouflage, etc.) seemed more “mountaineer” than the healing elixir I’d replace it with. So that’s gone, and you can just give your mountaineer ranks in Heal to represent this ability.

[burrahobbit]

Next up is the Pathfinder. For obvious reasons, we’ll have to change the name when converting it. Basically, this is the ranger who never gets lost, and can always make a trail. The abilities are pretty much all variations on the theme of not getting lost, identifying trail hazards, moving through difficult terrain, etc. (as well as being a good shot, for some reason). Most of these abilities have been incorporated into the core ranger class, but let’s see what we can do to make the Pathfinder (we’ll call it the Trailblazer) stand out a bit from the crowd. I’ve borrowed one high-level ability from my conversion of the Explorer kit above.

Trailblazer:

Trailblazer (Ranger Archetype)
The Trailblazer is almost preternaturally gifted with a sense of direction, and highly trained in reading the signs of the road ahead.

Trail Awareness (Ex) The Trailblazer gains a +2 bonus on Perception checks to notice natural hazards such as quicksand, sinkholes, and potential landslides. A Trailblazer gains a check to notice such hazards whenever she passes within 10 feet of them, whether or not she is actively looking.

This ability replaces medium armor proficiency.

Trap Sense (Ex) Beginning at 1st level, a Trailblazer in any of her favored terrains gains a +1 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to armor class against attacks made by traps. These bonuses increase by +1 every four ranger levels after 1st (5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th). Trap sense bonuses from multiple classes stack, but bonuses from the Trailblazer’s ability apply only when in one of the Trailblazer’s favored terrains.

This ability replaces Wild Empathy.

Travel Domain (Su) Beginning at 4th level, the Trailblazer gains access to the Travel domain (including the granted powers), as a cleric of a level equal to her ranger level -3.

This ability replaces Hunter’s Bond.

Pathbreaker (Ex) Beginning at 11th level, the Trailblazer can indicate to her allies the easiest track through difficult terrain. All allies within 20 feet of the Trailblazer can move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at their normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment.

Additionally, overland movement penalties for the Trailblazer and up to 2 other creatures per ranger level are reduced. Overland movement multipliers of ½ and ¾ are ignored, and overland movement multipliers of ¼ are instead treated as ¾ multipliers, as long as the Trailblazer is in front of the group and the furthest member of the group is no more than 150 feet behind the Trailblazer.

This ability replaces Quarry.

At Home in the World (Ex) At 19th level, a Trailblazer is never lost while on her native plane. She can always discern true north and can unerringly find her way to any location with which she is familiar (and estimate the time required and best way to arrive there). She is immune to the maze spell and similar effects.

This ability replaces Improved Quarry.

[burrahobbit]

The Sea Ranger is next. Of course you could just pick Water as your first favored terrain, but there’s more to it than that. There’s also the Freebooter archetype for a specific kind of seafaring ranger. But the kit is more of a general-purpose aquatic ranger, and so here’s a conversion into an archetype, including the Parliament of the Fishes, one of the weirder kit abilities in the game.

Sea Ranger:

Sea Ranger (Ranger Archetype) The sea ranger is at home in and around the waterways of the world.

Chart Probable Course (Ex) The sea ranger may make a Survival skill check (base DC 10) to follow the course of a vessel or creature through water. Rather than actually following a trail, this check represents the ranger’s reading of currents and weather conditions to chart the most probable course. Penalties for speed while tracking apply to the ranger (if she is moving under her own power), or her vessel (if any). Modifications to DC may be different from those on land, with changes in weather being the most likely to increase difficulty. Size of the creature or vessel being followed gives similar modifiers to the DC, not due to the weight of tracks, but to the varying maneuverability of the differently sized creatures and vessels. Ranger abilities that affect Survival checks to follow tracks (e.g., Swift Tracker, Quarry, Master Hunter) apply to this ability instead.

This ability replaces Track.

Sea Legs (Ex) At 3rd Level, the sea ranger acquires Sea Legs as a bonus feat, even if she does not meet the prerequisites.

This ability replaces Endurance.

Swimmer (Ex) Starting at 7th level, a sea ranger acquires a Swim speed equivalent to ½ her base land speed (note that a Swim speed also grants a +8 bonus to any Swim check to perform a special action or avoid a hazard, allows the sea ranger to always take 10 on a Swim check, and decreases attack penalties for aquatic combat).

This ability replaces Woodland Stride.

Parliament of the Fishes (Su) Beginning at 12th level, once per week, the sea ranger on or beside a natural body of water may call a school of 100 normal fish. This takes one hour of uninterrupted concentration, after which the sea ranger gains the benefit of the commune with nature spell, except with a range limitation of 10 miles per ranger caster level (within the boundaries of the body of water). The sea ranger may speak with the fish (as per the speak with animals spell and may use Animal Empathy to request additional information or services from the fish (starting attitude is normally indifferent).

This ability replaces Camouflage.

Parliament Boon (Su) Beginning at 17th level, a sea ranger who has called a Parliament of the Fishes and made them at least friendly receives a +2 morale bonus to all attack rolls, CMB rolls, and Acrobatics, Knowledge (Nature), Perception, Profession (Sailor), Stealth, Survival, and Swim checks while on the same body of water. These bonuses last for 24 hours.

This ability replaces Hide in Plain Sight.

[Misroi]

burrahobbit wrote:

The Sea Ranger is next. Of course you could just pick Water as your first favored terrain, but there’s more to it than that. There’s also the Freebooter archetype for a specific kind of seafaring ranger. But the kit is more of a general-purpose aquatic ranger, and so here’s a conversion into an archetype, including the Parliament of the Fishes, one of the weirder kit abilities in the game.

** spoiler omitted **...

Proposed Additon to Parliament of the Fishes: When using this ability, concentric circles emanate from your forehead towards the creatures you are communicating with. While other people near you cannot understand what you and the fish are talking about, they do hear an audible "woob-woob-woob-woob" noise.

[GM Elton]

Misroi wrote:

burrahobbit wrote:

The Sea Ranger is next. Of course you could just pick Water as your first favored terrain, but there’s more to it than that. There’s also the Freebooter archetype for a specific kind of seafaring ranger. But the kit is more of a general-purpose aquatic ranger, and so here’s a conversion into an archetype, including the Parliament of the Fishes, one of the weirder kit abilities in the game.

** spoiler omitted **...

Proposed Additon to Parliament of the Fishes: When using this ability, concentric circles emanate from your forehead towards the creatures you are communicating with. While other people near you cannot understand what you and the fish are talking about, they do hear an audible "woob-woob-woob-woob" noise.

Why are you making me think of Aquaman?

[burrahobbit]

Misroi wrote:

Proposed Additon to Parliament of the Fishes: When using this ability, concentric circles emanate from your forehead towards the creatures you are communicating with. While other people near you cannot understand what you and the fish are talking about, they do hear an audible "woob-woob-woob-woob" noise.

I can't see this working any other way.

[burrahobbit]

ext up, the Seeker, an introspective and spiritually-minded ranger. This could be done as a ranger/cleric or ranger/druid build, and the Spirit Ranger from the APG touches some of the same themes. Here’s an archetype conversion.

Seeker:

Seeker (Ranger Archetype)

Skills Knowledge (religion) is a class skill for the Seeker, and Knowledge (dungeoneering) is a cross-class skill.

Spellcasting A seeker casts spells as a ranger 3 levels higher. For levels higher than 17th, she has the following spell progression:

1st__2nd__3rd__4th

5____4____3____3
5____4____4____4
5____5____4____4

This ability replaces 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Favored Enemy.

Additional Spells At 2nd level, the seeker may add one 1st-level spell from the druid spell list to her class spell list, and may cast that spell as if it were a ranger spell of the same level. Her caster level for these spells is equivalent to her ranger level, plus her druid level (if any). At 6th level, she may add one additional 1st level and one 2nd-level druid spell. At 10th level, she may add one 1st, one 2nd, and one 3rd-level druid spell. At 14th and again at 18th level, level, she may had one 1st, one 2nd, one 3rd, and one 4th level spell.

This ability replaces the 2nd, 6th, 10th, 14th, and 18th level combat feats.

Sacred Animal (Ex) At 4th level, the seeker receives an animal companion (as per the hunter’s bond ability). This animal does not share any favored enemy bonuses (as the seeker has none). Instead, the seeker gains a +4 insight bonus to Animal Empathy checks when dealing with a creature of the same species as her animal companion, and a +2 insight bonus to all other Animal Empathy checks.

This ability replaces Hunter’s Bond.

Divine Domain (Su) At 11th level, the seeker gains access to one of the following domains, including bonus spells and all granted powers, as a cleric of a level equivalent to her ranger level -3: Air, Animal, Earth, Fire, Healing, Knowledge, Plant, Protection, Sun, Travel, Water, Weather.

This ability replaces Quarry.

Magical Attunement (Ex) Beginning at 17th level, the seeker may use any spell-trigger activated magic item (e.g., a staff or wand) useable by a druid.

This ability replaces Improved Quarry.

Enlightenment (Ex) At 20th level, the Seeker is treated as an outsider. She gains damage reduction 10/magic. Unlike other outsiders, the seeker can still be brought back from the dead as if she were a member of her previous creature type. Once per week, she may use her connection to the spirits of the natural world to cast commune as a cleric of her ranger level -3 without the requirement of material components.
This ability replaces Master Hunter.

Not sure how I feel about the levels of the different swaps. Originally I had the divine domain come in at 4th, but then I needed something with which to replace Quarry and Improved Quarry (since they both involve favored enemy bonuses). Anyway, I welcome your suggestions.

[Misroi]

The phrase "cross-class skill" doesn't exist in Pathfinder. (Thank God.) I'm guessing you meant to trade out Knowledge (religion) for Knowledge (dungeoneering).

I like the focus on spells, trading out two of the most iconic parts of a ranger - favored enemy and combat styles - for better spell progression and a non-insignificant splash of druid spells. Are five additional feats roughly equivalent to ten additional spells over the life of the character? I'll let someone else run those numbers, but my gut says yes.

I think you're right - Divine Domain needs to pop in sooner. Right now, once you hit 11th level, you get access to all of your chosen domain's spells and abilities. That's pretty powerful, even if you're only getting one. It really should have some growth, even if it's accelerated. Not sure how you do that, though.

[Bardess]

Give him the normal spell progression, + a Druidic domain (animal and Terrain domains included). Get inspiration from the Sacred Servant Paladin.

[burrahobbit]

Misroi and Bardess, thanks very much for the feedback! I really wasn't happy about how some of the things gelled, and I think you've both spotted the key issues. I also haven't looked at Ultimate Magic, really, so I wasn't aware of the animal and terrain domains, which are very cool and fit the theme.

Here are two other versions. The first is pretty minimalist and runs with Bardess's suggestion. The second adds some more abilities, swapping out the combat feats for additional druid spells and a different rendition of the Sacred Animal ability from the original kit.

Seeker (version 2):

Skills Knowledge (religion) is a class skill for the seeker, replacing Knowledge (dungeoneering).

Divine Domain (Su) At 4th level, the seeker gains access to one of the following domains, including bonus spells and all granted powers, as a cleric or druid of a level equivalent to her ranger level -3: Air, Animal, Earth, Fire, Healing, Knowledge, Plant, Protection, Sun, Travel, Water, Weather. The seeker may also select an animal or terrain domain from those available to a druid.

This ability replaces Hunter’s Bond.

Seeker (version 3):

Skills Knowledge (religion) is a class skill for the seeker, replacing Knowledge (dungeoneering).

Sacred Animal (Ex) At 2nd level, the seeker selects a single animal species. She receives a +4 insight bonus to Animal Empathy rolls when interacting with creatures of that species. Additionally, once per day, as an immediate action, the seeker may call upon the spirit of her sacred animal to grant her a +4 insight bonus to any one attack roll, combat maneuver check, or skill check. If she ever willingly harms or avoids lending aid to a sacred animal in distress, she loses access to her Animal Empathy and Sacred Animal abilities, as well as all spellcasting abilities, until making appropriate atonement (e.g., by means of an atonement spell).
This ability replaces the 2nd level combat feat.

Divine Domain (Su) At 4th level, the seeker gains access to one of the following domains, including bonus spells and all granted powers, as a cleric or druid of a level equivalent to her ranger level -3: Air, Animal, Earth, Fire, Healing, Knowledge, Plant, Protection, Sun, Travel, Water, Weather. The seeker may also select an animal or terrain domain from those available to a druid.

This ability replaces Hunter’s Bond.

Additional Spells At 6th level, the seeker may add one 1st-level spell from the druid spell list to her class spell list as if it were a ranger spell of the same level. Her caster level for these spells is equivalent to her ranger level -3. At 10th level, she may add one additional 1st level and one 2nd level druid spell. At 14th level, she may add one 1st, one 2nd, and one 3rd-level druid spell. At 18th level, she may add one 1st, one 2nd, one 3rd, and one 4th level spell.

This ability replaces the 6th, 10th, 14th, and 18th level combat feats.

[burrahobbit]

Next up is the Stalker, a ranger specializing in infiltration, stealth, and investigation. This could be well represented by either a ranger/rogue or (especially) the Slayer from the forthcoming Advanced Class Guide (at least judging from the playtest document, which basically offers a spell-less ranger with rogue abilities).
The Urban Ranger archetype likewise has some of the flavor, though obviously emphasizing the urban dimension. Given that these options exist, I’m not sure how much value added there is to adding a whole new archetype. I’d recommend using the Slayer as the best option, unless fundamental changes have been made from the playtest document I have.

The kit does offer an interesting ability, Photographic Memory, which could be converted as follows:

Eidetic Memory (Ex) Beginning at 7th level, the stalker develops a perfect memory for faces, places, events, and information. A number of times per day equal to her Wisdom bonus, she may add ½ her ranger level to any Knowledge check, and this check may be made untrained.

This ability replaces Woodland Stride.

Unfortunately, this wouldn’t work with the slayer class (since it doesn’t receive Woodland Stride automatically), but it could be made into an advanced rogue/slayer talent.

[burrahobbit]

The last kit in the book is the Warden, the ranger as government official, feudal overseer, king’s forest-warden, that sort of thing. There’s a Warden archetype in Ultimate Combat, but it shares little but the name.

The mechanics of this kit follow a trend that I didn’t like in the 2E Handbooks: doling out modest social and financial rewards and unspecified but potentially hefty “boons,” at the expense of similarly vague social obligations. But in the interests of completeness, here are some thoughts. This is not really an archetype. Rather, I give a trait, a feat, and a few skill substitutions.

Warden Conversion:

Loyalist (Trait) You are sworn to the service of a lord. When acting in the service of this liege lord, you receive a +2 morale bonus to saves against charm and fear effects.

Skills A Warden adds Diplomacy and Knowledge (Nobility) to her class skill list, and removes Knowledge (Dungeoneering) and Intimidate.

Feudal Privilege (Feat) Once per week, when purchasing a good or service in a settlement controlled by or friendly to your liege lord, you may make a Diplomacy check (DC = 10 + cost of good or service in gp/100, rounded up). If you succeed, the price of this good or service is reduced by 10%. For every 5 points by which you exceed the DC, the price is reduced by an additional 10%.

This could replace the ranger’s Endurance bonus feat at 3rd level.

[burrahobbit]

So that’s it for the kits. As with some of the other handbooks, there are suggestions for your own kits: Crypt Ranger, Dragon Killer, Extra-Planar Ranger, Militant Ecologist, Lycanthropic Ranger, Ranger-Knight, and Survivalist. Some of these are really neat ideas that I’d like to revisit for Pathfinder, but that’s a job for another day.

There follows a discussion of “Demi-Rangers” which is mercifully obsolete thanks to the elimination of racial limits on classes. Some of the ideas for demi-ranger kits could be made into prestige classes. And the chapter concludes with rules for dual-classed and multi-classed rangers, neither of which have much relevance to Pathfinder.

Chapter 5: Proficiencies

This chapter is also pretty much superfluous in the skill system era. Some new proficiencies are described, but all can easily be subsumed under PF skills:
Alertness = Perception
Camouflage = Stealth
Cartography = Knowledge (Geography), Survival
Falconry = Handle Animal
Foraging = Survival
Persuasion = Diplomacy
Riding, Sea-Based = Ride
Signaling = Bluff (or Innuendo, in 3.0)
Spelunking = Knowledge (Dungeoneering), Survival
Trail Marking = Survival
Trail Signs = Survival
Veterinary Healing = Heal
Weaponsmithing, Crude = Craft

[burrahobbit]

Chapter 6: Magic

Chapter 6 offers some very nice, thematic spells and magic items, converted below.

Level 1 Spells

Allergy Field:

Allergy Field
School transmutation; Level druid 1, ranger 1
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, DF
Range long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Area Plants in 40 ft. radius spread + 5 ft./level
Duration 1 round/level
Saving Throw Fortitude negates Spell Resistance No

This spell causes leaves, flowers, and pollen of plants within the affected area to become highly allergenic. Any creature within or entering the area (up to a height of 20 feet) must make a Fortitude save each round or be affected by an extreme allergic reaction, becoming sickened for the duration of the spell. An affected creature receives a new save each round after the first, and any creature that makes a successful save can no longer be affected by the same allergy field spell.

Recover Trail:

Recover Trail
School divination; Level ranger 1
Casting Time 1 immediate action
Components V, S, DF
Range personal
Target you
Duration instantaneous

Upon casting this spell, you may immediately retry a failed Survival skill check to follow tracks (instead of needing to wait 1 hour outdoors or 10 minutes indoors). You receive a +1 insight bonus per caster level to any Survival check to follow tracks made in the same round as you cast this spell. This spell also negates the pass without trace spell, allowing you to track creatures under the effects of that spell as normal.

Revitalize Animal:

Revitalize Animal
School conjuration (healing) Level druid 1, ranger 1
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V,S
Range touch
Target creature touched
Duration[/b[ instantaneous
[b]Saving Throw Will half (harmless)
Spell Resistance yes (harmless)

By laying your hand upon a living creature of the animal type, you channel positive energy that cures 1d8 points of damage +1 point per caster level (maximum +5). You may instead choose to cure 2d8 points of damage +1 point per caster level (maximum +5), in which case you take nonlethal damage equivalent to ½ the total damage healed.

On the allergy field spell: I added the every-round save opportunity to ensure that the spell was not overpowered (vis-a-vis ray of sickening for example), but it may not be necessary, since the requirement for vegetation makes it a bit situational, like entangle. What do you think?

[burrahobbit]

Here are conversions for the rest of the spells. Note that some of the levels of the following spells have changed from their presentation in the book, although I've left them in book order for ease of reference.

Animal Eyes:

Share Senses
School divination (scrying); Level druid 2, ranger 2, sorcerer/wizard 2, witch 2
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Target 1 willing animal companion or familiar
Duration 1 minute/level
Saving Throw Will negates (harmless); Spell Resistance yes (harmless)

You gain the ability to see, hear, and smell through the eyes, ears, and nose of a willing animal companion or familiar with which you have a link or empathic link. As a move action you can shift your sense from yourself to the target or back again. When using the target’s senses, you are blind and deaf. When perceiving through the target, you use its normal and special senses (such as darkvision and scent), not your own.

note: this conversion is based on the Witness spell from Ultimate Combat, set at one level lower because of the restriction on the target.

Locate Companion:

Locate Companion
School divination; Level druid 1, ranger 1
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, F/DF (a small whistle)
Range long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Area circle, centered on you, with a radius of 400 ft. + 40 ft./level
Duration 10 min./level
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no

This spell functions like locate creature, except that it can only be used to locate an animal companion with which you have a link.

Call Follower:

This spell, which allowed a 2E ranger who had not yet obtained all her followers to call a new one, doesn’t fit with the Pathfinder animal companion rules.

Chatterbark:

Chatterbark
School divination; Level bard 3, druid 2, ranger 1
Casting Time 10 minutes
Components V, S, F/DF (a small silver etching tool)
Range touch
Target 1 tree or shrub
Duration 1 min./level
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no

As you cast this spell, you lightly etch a face into the bark of a tree or shrub. When you have finished, a face appears in the tree under your etching and you can ask questions of and receive answers from the tree, just as if you were under the effects of a speak with plants spell.

Animal Trick:

Animal Trick
School enchantment; Level druid 2, ranger 1
Casting Time 1 swift action
Components V, S, F/DF (a dried biscuit)
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./level)
Target 1 domesticated animal or animal companion
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Will negates; Spell Resistance yes

Upon casting this spell, you make a Handle Animal check to handle an animal (usually DC 10). If this check succeeds, you automatically “push” the animal to perform any trick that it is physically capable of performing, even if it has not learned the trick. This spell may only be used on animals that could normally be “pushed” through your use of the Handle Animal skill.

Alter Plant:

Alter Plant
School transmutation; Level druid 2, ranger 2
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M/DF (a leaf and strip of birch bark)
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target 1 Small living plant/level, all within a 20-ft. radius
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no

You can permanently alter the form of any one living plant to take the form of any other living plant, as long as neither the original plant nor the final form are larger than the total size you can affect. You may affect one Small or smaller plant or its equivalent per caster level. A Medium plant counts as two Small plants, a Large plant as four, a Huge plant as eight, a Gargantuan plant as 16, and a Colossal plant as 32.
This spell has no effect on plant creatures.

note: I originally converted this as a combination of warp wood, wood shape, and polymorph, but I decided I’d rather keep the narrow version. I would say that rangers should get access to wood shape as a 2nd-level spell.

Ok, magic items are next, and then we're closing in on done, with some mundane equipment and some final thoughts on roleplaying and characterization!

[Misroi]

Allergy field looks pretty good for its level. Entangle area of effect, but grants sickened instead of grappled. Works for me!

Recover trail is fine, but I think could also be a 1st level druid spell. I would also want it to work against Trackless Step, but I'm not sure how to do that - a caster level check of some sort?

Revitalize animal seems weak. Why would anyone prepare this over cure light wounds, which works on everyone, not just animals? Since it only works on animals, what about doubling the static bonus? 1d8 + 2/every 2 levels (max 10)?

Share senses also seems to be a good fit for its level - the only thing that's weird about it is that placing at 2nd level for the ranger means they'll only be able to cast it four levels after everyone else. They're tertiary casters, so they'll likely never have a problem with this, but it's at least worth noting.

Locate creature bothers me a bit, since that's a dramatic reduction in spell level. However, it is very restrictive - it might as well be named locate class feature, after all. The number of times a druid or ranger is without his companion is fairly slim, so I think I'm OK with it as a 1st-level spell.

I was trying to figure out some way of making call follower work, but I'm not entirely sure how to do that. That whole subsystem has been replaced by the Leadership feat. Maybe it could replenish followers granted by the feat but lost due to misadventure?

Chatterbark is fine, though I think it could probably do with spelling out that it specifically does not allow the caster to speak with plant creatures.

Animal trick is cool, and I think it's fine for a 1st-level spell. If you need to have your companion do something, and you haven't trained it to do that yet, then this is your spell.

Can we call alter plant what it is - create tree house? Seriously, though, I think it's adequate for its level, so I don't see any changes that need to be made there.

[burrahobbit]

@Misroi - Thanks! All really good points.

Recover Trail - Maybe the easiest thing would be to allow folks with the Trackless Step ability to be tracked at an increased DC - this could be a flat +5, or it could scale (+1 to DC for each level in the class that grants trackless step). I think the simplicity of the former is better. I'd be willing to give it to druids, but I actually kind of like having a few spells that are just for rangers, and this one is definitely playing to the ranger's schtick.

Revitalize Animal - Yeah, I doubt any druid would take it, but a ranger gets it a level earlier than CLW. I think you're right, though. Make it 1d8+2/caster level (max 10), or 2d8+2/caster level if you elect to take the nonlethal damage.

Chatterbark - Consider it added.

Thanks again! Magic items coming soon.

[burrahobbit]

New Magic Items

Chameleon Cloak:

This is really just a cloak of elvenkind by another name.

Horn of Animal Calls:

Horn of Animal Calls (Minor Wondrous Item)
Aura faint illusion; CL 4th
Slot — ; Price 3,600 gp; Weight 2 lbs.

----Description----
When played by a character with ranks in the Knowledge (Nature) skill, this hollowed-out animal horn may replicate the voice or call of any animal. This ability is equivalent to a ghost sound spell. Additionally, once per day, the horn may be used to call local wildlife in a way similar to the call animal spell as cast by a 4th-level caster. Regardless of whether any animal answers the summons, the horn may not be used to call wildlife again for 24 hours.
----Construction Requirements----
Craft Wondrous Item, call animal, ghost sound; Cost 1,700 gp

Ice Box:

It’s cheesy in Nethack, and it’s cheesy here.
Ice Box (Minor Wondrous Item)
Aura faint evocation; CL 3rd
Slot —; Price 2,000 gp; Weight 10 lbs.

----Description----
This 1’ x 1’ solid metal chest seals tightly and has a dial on its door. The temperature of the interior of the box is kept magically constant. By turning the dial, the temperature of the interior of the box can be adjusted to anywhere between 0 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Any dead creature inside the box gains the benefits of a gentle repose spell for as long as it is inside.

----Construction Requirements----
Craft Wondrous Item, frost fall Cost 1,000 gp

And, just for kicks (and more utility), how about an Ice Box of Holding, with double the weight of a standard bag of holding of its type, and a cost increase of 20%? It has all the abilities of the ice box above in addition to its bag of holding capacity, and introduces the magic of cryogenic preservation to a dungeon near you!

[Saul Akaynan]

"An ice box of holding? This. Is. AMAZING! Finally, I can kick a dragon's ass, and not have to wait to get back to town to have a beer! Now, to visit the temple of Calistria to get their brand of the bag of tricks..."

[burrahobbit]

I think my next campaign will be a self-aware, postmodern romp in which the PCs are hired by a major brewing consortium to place, stock, and restock branded ice boxes of holding in all the world's famous and deadly dungeons.

Here are the last of the magic items!

Portable Shadow:

Portable Shadow (Minor Wondrous Item)
Aura faint evocation and abjuration CL 3rd
Slot —; Price 5,000 gp; Weight —

----Description----
When this gauzy, circular black cloth is dropped on solid ground, it creates an area of magical darkness within a 10’ radius, as per the spell of the same name. Creatures within this radius are unaffected by hot temperatures up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

----Construction Requirements----
Craft Wondrous Item, darkness, endure elements Cost 2,500 gp

Species Enemy Medallion:

Medallion of Animosity (Minor Wondrous Item)
Aura faint divination CL 3rd
Slot Neck; Price 1,200 gp Weight 1 lb.

----Description----
When this silver medallion is worn by a creature with the favored enemy class ability, the medallion glows a faint blue when a favored enemy is within 60’.

----Construction Requirements----
Craft Wondrous Item, detect evil Cost 600 gp

String Cage:

String Cage (Major Wondrous Item)
Aura strong evocation CL 13th
Slot —; Price 40,000 gp Weight 1 lb.

----Description----
This 40-foot length of white thread is flecked with gold. As a full-round action, the string cage may be arranged in a circle on solid ground and tied with a special knot, creating an invisible barrier just inside the string equivalent to a forcecage (windowless cell), up to a 10-ft cube. The forcecage remains in effect until the knot is untied; a creature within the string’s confines is unable to touch the string. Placing the string may require more than one full-round action, depending on the user’s speed and the terrain.

----Construction Requirements----
Craft Wondrous Item, forcecage Cost 20,000 gp

Thorn of Sleep:

Thorn of Sleep (Magic Weapon)
Aura faint enchantmentCL 3rd
Slot —; Price 250 gp Weight —

----Description----
This long, smooth thorn has been worked to function as a +1 dart. Any creature damaged by the thorn must make a DC 12 Fortitude save or fall asleep for 3 minutes. A thorn of sleep that has damaged a creature loses all magical properties, but continues to function as a masterwork dart if recovered.

----Construction Requirements----
Craft Magic Arms and Armor, sleep Cost 125 gp

[burrahobbit]

Chapter 7: Equipment

This chapter has a bunch of nonmagical equipment; much of it can be suitably rendered with existing Pathfinder equipment, so I’ll just offer equivalencies. For the flavor and descriptions, see the book. A few items have not appeared in Pathfinder, and for these I offer rule conversions.

Clothing:

Aba – Equivalent to hot weather outfit

Arctic Coat – Equivalent to cold weather outfit

Rain Poncho – Equivalent to poncho

Snowshoes – snowshoes

Terrain Suit – 150 gp; Weight 6 lbs.; this suit of clothing, designed to mimic the colors and patterns of one particular terrain (forest, arctic, desert, etc.) grants a +1 circumstance bonus to Stealth checks in that terrain (+2 while remaining immobile and prone). A creature with the scent ability ignores this bonus and makes Perception checks against a terrain suit wearer’s actual Stealth roll when in scent range. Because this outfit costs more than 10 gp, it may not be chosen for free when creating a character.

Waterproof Boots – 15 gp; Weight 4 lbs.; these boots are made of tough, water-resistant hide, treated with oil, and topped with a leather drawstring. They keep feet dry even when wading in water.

Wilderness Harness – equivalent to adventurer’s sash

Transport:

Dog Sled – dog sled

Kayak – Price 75 gp; Passage — ; This 10’ long, single-person craft is powered by a single long oar or two paddles, and moves at 2 miles per hour.

Water Sled – Price 150 gp; Passage 1 gp; This craft resembles a cross between a raft and a dog-sled, with long leather reins that can be attached to a team of creatures with a Swim speed (usually seals, dolphins, or a small whale). It can carry up to the capacity of all the creatures that pull it.

Miscellaneous Equipment:

Breathing Tube – 1 gp; Weight—. This simple tube, made of a foot-long hollow reed and treated with waterproofing wax, allows a character to breathe underwater indefinitely, as long as the top of the tube is above the surface. Breathing tubes of longer than one foot are ineffective.

Camouflage Paint Kit – 15 gp; Weight 1 lb. This compact leather case contains several cakes of greasepaint, enough for 10 uses. A character may make a DC 10 Disguise check to apply the paint over the course of 1 minute. The character must choose a specific terrain (forest, arctic, desert, etc.). If successful, the character receives an additional +1 circumstance bonus to Stealth checks when wearing a terrain suit, cloak of elvenkind, chameleon cloak, or similar camouflage. A creature with the scent ability ignores this bonus.

Chain Leash – 6 gp; Weight 1 lb. This length of chain with a leather muzzle can be used to fit any small or medium sized animal with an appropriate head shape (including canines, felines, and bears). The leash grants a +1 circumstance bonus to Handle Animal checks made to rear a wild animal, or to learn the Come, Down, Heel, Serve, or Stay tricks.

Falconry Gauntlet – 5 sp; Weight 1 lb. This sturdy leather gauntlet assists in proper handling of falcons, hawks, and similar birds. Characters handling such creatures without a falconry gauntlet or similar heavy glove run the risk of injury.

Falcon Training Equipment – 25 gp; Weight 1 lb. This equipment, including jesses, talon guards, a creance, and a hood, grants a +1 circumstance bonus to all Handle Animal checks directed toward a small or tiny bird of prey.

Fishing Tackle –fishing tackle or fishing kit

Healing Kit – Healer’s Kit

Insect Repellent – Vermin Repellent

Scent Lure – Beast Lure

Sleeping Bag – Bedroll

Sun Goggles – 10 gp; Weight —. These goggles, made from solid wood with narrow slits, are designed to reduce the effects of dazzling lights. They function exactly like smoked goggles.

Sunburn Ointment – 10 gp; Weight —. A character applying this ointment heals 1 additional hit point per hour of nonlethal damage dealt by exposure to heat. The effects of one application last for 12 hours, and one tin contains 10 applications (multiple applications within the same 12 hours have no extra effect). If you want a more potent effect, consider fire ward gel

Survival Kit – Survival kit

Tent – tent

Trap – See the various traps beginning with bear trap in the SRD.

Tinderbox, Waterproof – 5 gp; Weight —. This tinderbox includes flint and steel, and seals tightly against water and the elements. Any penalties for attempting to start a fire in damp conditions are reduced by 4.

Weaponblack – 50 gp; Weight —. This jar of dark black grease-like substance contains enough material to coat a single medium-sized bladed weapon or two small-sized bladed weapons. A weapon so covered is black and non-reflective, ideal for stealthy night work. At the GM’s discretion, a character wielding a weaponblacked blade may receive a bonus or avoid penalties to Stealth checks in darkened and low-light areas. Weaponblack is also flammable. When ignited as a standard action, it burns for 2 full rounds, dealing 1 point of fire damage to the wielder each round and inflicting 1d4 points of fire damage on a successful hit.

[burrahobbit]

On to the weapons, just about the last crunchy part of the book.

Weapons

Grain Flail:

Grain Flail (Simple One-Handed Melee Weapon)
Cost 3 gp Dmg (S/M) 1d4/1d6 Crit x2 Weight 3 lbs. Type B

Hatchet:

Hatchet (Simple Light Melee Weapon)
Cost 2 gp Dmg (S/M) 1d3/1d4 Crit x3Weight 3 lbs. Type S

Ice Pick:

Ice Pick (Simple Light Melee Weapon)
Cost 2 gp Dmg (S/M) 1d3/1d4 Crit x3 Weight 1 lb. Type P

Machete:

Machete (One-Handed Martial Melee Weapon)
Cost 20 gp Dmg (S/M) 1d6/1d8 Crit 19-20/x2 Weight 6 lbs. Type S

Ritiik:

Ritiik (Two-Handed Exotic Melee Weapon)
Cost 20 gp Dmg (S/M) 1d10/1d12 Crit x2 Weight 6 lbs. Special bleed, brace, reachType P
The ritiik is described as a spearlike weapon with a hook; a 3.5 version is given in Frostburn (p. 76). This is a different take. A creature hit with a ritiik takes 1 point of bleed damage per round thereafter. This damage may be stopped with a DC 10 Heal check.

I'm not a fan of the Frostburn version's free trip attempt, but I think it's a nice mechanic that the weapon can be twisted to cause extra damage when removed.

Scythe:

Finally, a weapon that exists in Pathfinder already!

Iuak (Snow Blade):

Iuak (Snow Blade) One-Handed Martial Melee Weapon
Cost 12 gp Dmg (S/M) 1d6/1d8 Crit 19-20/x2 Weight 4 lbs. Type S
Again, this was published in Frostburn (p. 76). My version’s a little different (it deals more damage, whereas Frostburn’s ignores a few points of object hardness). The latter is much more unique, but I don't want to copy work that's out there already.

[burrahobbit]

And that's about it for conversions! A few Fighter's Handbook weapons is included, but most of them have Pathfinder versions already (cutlass, rapier, gaff...), and any that don't I'll get to if I ever get to the Fighter's Handbook.

The remainder of the book has some really nice chapters on roleplaying a ranger, developing a ranger's personality traits, and ranger gatherings (including the Glass Eye Concourse, which sounds a little like an open air Hank Williams Jr. concert). I really recommend it for some worthwhile ideas.

The book ends with a description of the AD&D 1st Edition ranger, in all its ogrillon and norker-slaying glory.

And that's it! I've got some commitments this summer that will probably keep me away from any more conversions, but more will come along in their own sweet time.

[Misroi]

Grain Flail (AKA "Baby's First Nunchaku")
Hatchet (AKA "Punching Daggers That Rock Against Zombies")
Ice Pick (AKA "Punching Daggers That Suck Just As Much Against Zombies As Punching Daggers")
Machete (AKA "Inexplicably 5 Gold More Than A Longsword")
Scythe (AKA "What Did The Grim Reaper Use Before This Book Came Out?")

OK, with the boring stuff out of the way, let's take a look at the other two.

Ritiik: I can't find the existence of this weapon outside of D&D, so I'm beginning to think it was created from wholecloth. The weapon is rather overpowered from what I've been able to find - Reflex save DC 10+damage dealt or be knocked prone? That's insane. Yours is a Lucerne hammer chassis with bleed. Probably a pretty good trade for a feat.

Iuak: Looks like the original writeup in Frostburn made it an exotic weapon with a d6 damage. Dropping it down to a martial makes it decent, though it is functionally the same as a longsword for three gold less. Not much you can do there, though, except maybe increase the price and give it another quality to differentiate itself.