favored enemy ranger question

[DoubleGold]

It says rangers can select other humanoids, that the ones on the site were just most specific. Question, if we choose a humanoid creature for a pfs game for our character, that isn't on the list how specific does it have to be?

this page

scroll down to humanoids for instance. Lets say I wanted to pick giants? Would that be allowed? This means I would have advantage over cyclops, giants, trolls, etc. Or would I have to be so specific that I say I want true giants: this would cover everything from the giant ash to the giant wood category. Or would I have to be so specific that I would have to pick one very specific giant, like the fire giant?

[Artoo]

Humanoid (Giant) is actually on the list in the Ranger class description. I'm pretty sure you can take any humanoid subtype you want.

[DoubleGold]

oh, right it is, didn't see that at first.

[Nefreet]

The page you linked is to a 3rd party site. I would avoid referencing it for Pathfinder Society. Even the website's author states that he does not do PFS, and due to copyright he is required to change the names and wording of several features.

I'd suggest using the PRD as your first reference, or Archives of Nethys for stuff not found on the PRD.

Archives is also 3rd party, but it's maintained by a PFS player who goes out of his way to cater to other PFS players.

[DoubleGold]

Speaking of pfs favored enemies, does anyone know what good choices are for pfs favored enemy for low levels. I don't want to pick constructs for example and find out only like 1 or 2 pfs games have them at low levels. What about good choices for level 5, 10 and 15. Lets assume I'm not going for any specific pfs games, I'm just playing random ones right and left.

[LazarX]

DoubleGold wrote:

Speaking of pfs favored enemies, does anyone know what good choices are for pfs favored enemy for low levels. I don't want to pick constructs for example and find out only like 1 or 2 pfs games have them at low levels. What about good choices for level 5, 10 and 15. Lets assume I'm not going for any specific pfs games, I'm just playing random ones right and left.

There are things you can always count on facing.

1. Humans

2. Undead

3. Swarms. (not much help in that department, though)

[GreyYeti]

1 Humanoid (Human) this also includes half-elves and half-orcs
2 Undead
3 Evil Outsider or construct

would be my TOP 3 choices, after that everything else gets rather uncommon.

[Imbicatus]

Humans and Undead would be my go-to first picks. After that, Outsider(Evil) if you are playing a lot of Season 5, Construct if you are playing Season 6.

[Ascalaphus]

It's a tie for me between Humanoid (Human) and Outsider (Evil), with Constructs earning a clear third place and Undead trailing fourth.

It's not just what's most common, although the first two are definitely that. It's also a question of when you most need it. Actually scary undead aren't all that prolific in PFS. You see a lot of zombies, skeletons and ghouls, but only occasionally you see something special like incorporeal undead. Constructs are quite common, and they're also fairly vicious, with decent AC and DR that you may just have to brute-force through. And evil outsiders and humans make up the majority of all bosses.

[grandpoobah]

Humanoid (human) is certainly the most common enemy, but it's often the one you need the least. Humans don't have DR, and generally don't have an insane amount of hit points or armor class. It is very useful at low levels, when your ability to hit is very swingy (and damage might be low on your PC). And at low level, humans make up a LOT of your opponents. Plus it helps your Sense Motive (good in social encounters).

You can also re-train your favored enemy choice using the Ultimate Campaign retraining rules - this can be useful if you've picked something that turns out to be non-helpful later in life.

Depending on how much Ranger you plan on being, this may end up being a silly RP choice. For example, if you start out a ranger, but later spend your levels on non-ranger (and never really boost your favored enemy beyond a single +2) - it could be fun to pick something a little more obscure like Plants or Animals (something that a low level character might train to fight, but not actually fight that often, especially at higher levels); or Aberrations because you hate/fear Cthulu.

You may also want to think about the types of adventures you want to play this PC in (really only relevant if you have multiple character to choose between). If this is your jungle exploration character, monstrous humanoids, magical beasts, and animals might be a better choice than undead or humans.

YMMV.

[Saiman]

I play my rangers and druids as if they prefer nature and outdoors. Give that choice of nature or being in a city/town. They'll pick nature.

I made a switch-hitting ranger for season 5. And first enemy was evil outsiders. But after being a Pathfinder and seeing how the factions kinds worked secretly and deceived others and such...Humans were his second hatred. Just don't like them anymore. Though he is human.

Then he died in saving a fellow pathfinder from an ooze. So that was his third hatred.

[Muser]

Picking Human also nets you frequently applicable bonus to Sense Motive, Bluff and Perception checks in social encounters.

My Iblydosian Ranger will base his fave enemies on Greek legends and pick Magical Beast (Nemean Lion), Monstrous Humanoid(Minotauros) and Construct (Talos). Might go for Construct first, considering the season...