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I think rangers should also get a bonus to Knowledge checks associated with their favored enemy. For example, Knowledge (arcana) for constructs, dragons, & magical beasts; Knowledge (dungeoneering) for aberrations and oozes; Knowledge (local) for humanoids; Knowledge (nature) for animals, fey, giants, monstrous humanoids, plants, & vermin; Knowledge (planes) for outsiders & elementals; and Knowledge (religion) for undead.
Alternately, since most of these Knowledge skills are not class skills for rangers, they gain the associated Knowledge skill as a class skill when they choose that favored enemy.
Similarly, all rangers get a bonus to Knowledge (geography), even though that skill does not apply to every favored terrain option. They should instead get a bonus to Knowledge checks associated with their favored terrain. Most favored terrains would fall under Knowledge (geography), but favored terrain: planes would instead get a bonus to Knowledge (planes), favored terrain: underground would get a bonus to Knowledge (dungeoneering), and favored terrain: urban would get a bonus to Knowledge (engineering). I could also see rangers with “standard” favored terrains getting a bonus to Knowledge (nature) as well as Knowledge (geography).
Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games
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I think rangers should also get a bonus to Knowledge checks associated with their favored enemy. For example, Knowledge (arcana) for constructs, dragons, & magical beasts; Knowledge (dungeoneering) for aberrations and oozes; Knowledge (local) for humanoids; Knowledge (nature) for animals, fey, giants, monstrous humanoids, plants, & vermin; Knowledge (planes) for outsiders & elementals; and Knowledge (religion) for undead.
Alternately, since most of these Knowledge skills are not class skills for rangers, they gain the associated Knowledge skill as a class skill when they choose that favored enemy.
I wonder, do you mean just Knowledge checks to know about the relevant creatures (which would be easy enough), or to ANY knowledge checks made with that skill?
The latter would mean taking favored enemy (constructs) would give you a +N bonus to all of your Knowledge (arcana) checks.
I think I implemented the former (FavEn bonus applies to Knowledge as well as the usual skills) in my campaign as a house rule.
Similarly, all rangers get a bonus to Knowledge (geography), even though that skill does not apply to every favored terrain option. They should instead get a bonus to Knowledge checks associated with their favored terrain. Most favored terrains would fall under Knowledge (geography), but favored terrain: planes would instead get a bonus to Knowledge (planes), favored terrain: underground would get a bonus to Knowledge (dungeoneering), and favored terrain: urban would get a bonus to Knowledge (engineering). I could also see rangers with “standard” favored terrains getting a bonus to Knowledge (nature) as well as Knowledge (geography).
Same question as above, I suppose.
PS - Hi Rob. Long time no talk.
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I would also like to see the Favored Terrain bonus to Initiative be increased to match the other bonuses. As it stands, making a Ranger statblock is awkward and takes up space, as indicating the initiative bonus from Favored Terrain requires seperate text from the other items.
Ie. Favored Terrain (Underground +2 [+1 initiative]).
Would be much easier, and not too powerful, to have:
Favored Terrain (Underground +2)
Director of Games
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I am strongly considering increasing the ranger's initiative bonus for simplicity's sake. On the other hand, I think I like the bonus to Knowledge checks, but giving it to them as a class skill strikes me as a bit off. Just because you are good at hunting and hurting constructs, does not mean that you are skilled at all of the other functions of that skill.
Thoughts?
Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing
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I would also like to see the Favored Terrain bonus to Initiative be increased to match the other bonuses. As it stands, making a Ranger statblock is awkward and takes up space, as indicating the initiative bonus from Favored Terrain requires seperate text from the other items.
Ie. Favored Terrain (Underground +2 [+1 initiative]).
Would be much easier, and not too powerful, to have:
Favored Terrain (Underground +2)
I agree. I also think that a ranger using Hunter's Bond with his allies be able to grant them half their favored terrain bonus, just like they do favored enemy bonuses. It seems logical to me that if they can direct their allies in the best way to hit a target, they should also be able to instruct their allies in the best way to use the terrain.
Like the initiative bump
Not sure about the knowledge bump (I get that the ranger should be able to figure out how to kill it, or what it does to kill other people, so it does kind of make sense)
Not sure they should be able to grant their favored terrain bonus. Its one thing to say "hit its underside when it rears up," and another to say grant someone else the ability to track, gather food, or become more alert in a given area.
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I am strongly considering increasing the ranger's initiative bonus for simplicity's sake. On the other hand, I think I like the bonus to Knowledge checks, but giving it to them as a class skill strikes me as a bit off. Just because you are good at hunting and hurting constructs, does not mean that you are skilled at all of the other functions of that skill.
Thoughts?
Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing
The Knowledge skills strike me as a bit much as well. Especially at low levels, the +3 bonus can have a big impact. The new skill system provides ample opportunity for a character to grab non-class skills, and having the ranger bonus should be enough to almost equate them with, say, a trained Wizard. But meeting or exceeding that standard shouldn't be the result.
David: I also like your Hunter's Bond flavour - it makes perfect sense they could help their allies in different terrain.
I am strongly considering increasing the ranger's initiative bonus for simplicity's sake. On the other hand, I think I like the bonus to Knowledge checks, but giving it to them as a class skill strikes me as a bit off. Just because you are good at hunting and hurting constructs, does not mean that you are skilled at all of the other functions of that skill.
Thoughts?
Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing
Adding the bonus to Knowledge checks is something I've always thought should be in there. I don't think giving them additional class skills is the way to go, I'd suggest allowing them to make a Knowledge check as if they where trained (not limited to a max result of 10) adding their Int modifier, Favoured Enemy bonus, and any skill ranks they have but only for gaining information relating to the enemy in question.
I was considering rather than straight skill ranks, have either ranks or 1/2 Ranger level which ever is greater so they could at least try and keep up with the increase of DC as the creatures get more HD, however given how cheep non class skills are if they want to take arcana to know about dragons at best they're missing out on the +3
I'm not too sure on the Initiative bonus. On one hand simplicity is always good, on the other giving a class that favours a high Dex a potential +8 might be too much.
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Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games
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I am strongly considering increasing the ranger's initiative bonus for simplicity's sake. On the other hand, I think I like the bonus to Knowledge checks, but giving it to them as a class skill strikes me as a bit off. Just because you are good at hunting and hurting constructs, does not mean that you are skilled at all of the other functions of that skill.
Thoughts?
Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing
The ranger in my game using the "favored enemy bonus applies to Knowledge (to identify a creature)" as a house rule really likes it and said it feels like a good fit. If the ranger knows enough about these creatures to know how to hunt them, do extra damage, to bluff them and sense their motives, shouldn't they KNOW about the rest of what the creature does?
As a house rule, I also added Intimidate to the list of the skills that FavEnemy benefits. Honestly, if you know them enough to know their habits and trick them (Bluff/SM), you certainly ought to know how to scare them as well.
For what it's worth, it might be worth adding your favored enemy bonus to CMB when you are performing related combat actions, just as you would apply it to hit and damage with a standard attack. I have not playtested this yet but did create a feat that would allow you to do it (no one has taken the feat).
You could also create one or more supporting 'favored enemy' feats, adding your favored enemy bonus or favored terrain bonus to (either at full value or halved as you currently have initiative bonus):
1. Dodge or insight bonus to AC
2. Insight or competence bonus to saves
3. Caster level for spells cast vs. favored enemies
The ranger in my game using the "favored enemy bonus applies to Knowledge (to identify a creature)" as a house rule really likes it and said it feels like a good fit. If the ranger knows enough about these creatures to know how to hunt them, do extra damage, to bluff them and sense their motives, shouldn't they KNOW about the rest of what the creature does?As a house rule, I also added Intimidate to the list of the skills that FavEnemy benefits. Honestly, if you know them enough to know their habits and trick them (Bluff/SM), you certainly ought to know how to scare them as well.
For what it's worth, it might be worth adding your favored enemy bonus to CMB when you are performing related combat actions, just as you would apply it to hit and damage with a standard attack. I have not playtested this yet but did create a feat that would allow you to do it (no one has taken the feat).
You could also create one or more supporting 'favored enemy' feats, adding your favored enemy bonus or favored terrain bonus to (either at full value or halved as you currently have initiative bonus):
1. Dodge or insight bonus to AC
2. Insight or competence bonus to saves
3. Caster level for spells cast vs. favored enemies
I agree with everything you said! All awesome suggestions - especially the CMB bonus. I'm going to try to test this before the ranger-feedback slot closes.
I'd also like to add my name to the list of people who thinks that Hunter's Bond should work with favored terrain too. As it stands it is just too weak an ability. Perhaps it needs a new name to fit what it would do, though. Ranger's Bond?
Peace,
tfad
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I agree that a Favored Enemy bonus to Knowledge checks should be limited to creatures that qualify. I also support allowing untrained checks as if trained (removing the max result of 10) within that limitation. In addition I really believe that Rangers should be able to make a DC 10 Knowledge check to know if a creature qualifies as a favored enemy or not. It doesn't make sense that they can know how their Favored Enemy thinks and how to hurt it but wouldn't recognize (be able to identify it as their Favored Enemy type) one if it kissed them. Identifying their favored enemies should be "common knowledge" for a Ranger.
What he said(emphatically).
- Rangers: Favored enemy and Favored terrain, are they worth keeping for the complexity?
My experience for Favored Enemy and Terrain comes from watching the Sable Marine in my CotCT campaign. He took Humanoids (Humans) and Urban, becoming a much happier person in the conversion. Before he had Humanoids (Goblinoids) and all the built in urban penalties for tracking.
I truly like the variants available to the ranger now with these options, making them so much more than the loner in the woods expert they used to be.
Bumping the initiative bonus to make bookkeeping simplier is good. Simple is always good, and I can't see any ranger complaining at the higher init bonus :)
I also like the idea of allowing a knowledge roll using INT + Ranger Favored Bonus against specific critters he's already favored against ... I don't think they should gain the skill for free as trained. If they really want it trained, that's what skill points are for!
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Adding the bonus to Knowledge checks is something I've always thought should be in there. I don't think giving them additional class skills is the way to go, I'd suggest allowing them to make a Knowledge check as if they where trained (not limited to a max result of 10) adding their Int modifier, Favoured Enemy bonus, and any skill ranks they have but only for gaining information relating to the enemy in question.
I like this idea too. I originally suggested making them class skills to get around the mac DC 10 penalty, but this could work as well. The only problem I can see is with those rangers with favored enemies that fit into Knowledge (dungeoneering) and Knowledge (nature). Those are already class skills, so getting to use them trained is a non-ability.
So going back to class skills, there is at least a precedent: sorcerer bloodlines give additional class skills. Would it be so terrible to give rangers one or two more Knowledge class skills?
The ranger in my game using the "favored enemy bonus applies to Knowledge (to identify a creature)" as a house rule really likes it and said it feels like a good fit. If the ranger knows enough about these creatures to know how to hunt them, do extra damage, to bluff them and sense their motives, shouldn't they KNOW about the rest of what the creature does?
So perhaps this is the way around getting too much knowledge or a +3 class skill bonus. They get the associated knowledge as a class skill but ONLY for purposes of information about their favored enemy, not for things like identifying spell effects with Knowledge (arcana).
Jason (Nelson):
I am strongly considering increasing the ranger's initiative bonus for simplicity's sake.
I like this change, much cleaner.
On the other hand, I think I like the bonus to Knowledge checks, but giving it to them as a class skill strikes me as a bit off. Just because you are good at hunting and hurting constructs, does not mean that you are skilled at all of the other functions of that skill.
I would say that the ranger should add their Favored Enemy/Terrain bonus to knowledge checks that are applicable to their favored enemy/terrain. I would not however, give them the associated knowledge skill. Knowing all about the ecology/anatomy of dragons doesn't mean you should have any greater insight into arcane mysteries, cryptic phrases, or magical beasts. They could always take arcana as a cross-class skill if they are really hard-core — it doesn't need to be a class skill.
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From the Fighters and Damage thread:
Perhaps any ranger weapon simply becomes a bane weapon vs. favored enemies (and then damage goes up from there, an extra 1d6 each time you 'pick' the same enemy again)....as we'd like normal characters to deal meaningful damage. Which means melee damage probably needs to go up across the board - but as they all get damage in different ways, we need to address them one at a time.I was about to say something similar. The Barbarian and Ranger need to be handled differently since their bonus damage comes from slightly different sources.
For example, it might make sense to boost the Barbarian's damage while raging by 1/2 Barbarian level. Mechanically, the Barbarian's Rage ability is partially level-dependent already.
Personally, I'd like to see the Ranger's Favored Enemy stuff change. I'd like to see it become either additional d6's worth of Insight damage or change entirely to some kind of Marking ability where he can designate a single foe tyoe and get some bonus against them for the encounter (or maybe designate it in the morning and get the bonus all day against a certain type of enemy).
But each needs to be handled in their own way and each in its own thread. >:)
-Skeld
From a mechanics standpoint, I think Mr. Nelson has a good idea. It's seems to be a better idea to add d6's as extra damage (ala bane or the Rogue's Sneak Attack) than a +1 or +2. The favored Enemy damage needs to be significant, else the Ranger doesn't really feel like he's contributing. An extra 1d6 or 2d6 per instance of Favored Enemy would add some significant punch to the ranger's attacks against his favored enemies.
This can be balanced against the fact that Favored Enemy bonus damage wouldn't work all the time. For example of STAP, a Ranger that took favored Enemy (outsiders) would have few opportunities to use his bonus damage early on, but would be very effective later in the campaigne. However, a Ranger that took Favored Enemy (undead) wouldn't find much use for his highest favored Enemy bonus damage.
Thematically, Ranger Favored Enemy bonus damage could be seen as Insight damage. It wouldn't be subject to mulipliers from crits. This has the advantage of putting the Ranger on par with the Rogue's ability to deal damage while retaining the situationally dependent nature of the damage.
Just some thoughts.
-Skeld
I think there should be rule regulating the use of the ranger's favored enemy bonuses if he does not realize his opponent is of a favored enemy type. I'm not really in favor of giving away non-obvious creature types for unknown monsters without even the need of a Knowledge check.
What do you think?
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Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games
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I think there should be rule regulating the use of the ranger's favored enemy bonuses if he does not realize his opponent is of a favored enemy type. I'm not really in favor of giving away non-obvious creature types for unknown monsters without even the need of a Knowledge check.
What do you think?
Personally, I think that this makes a character class ability that is already dependent on DM fiat (as in, actually having the PCs encounter things that are of the ranger's FavEn type) even MORE dependent on DM fiat (as in, the DM not only needs to place them but ensure that the ranger has some reasonable means of determining their type).
I do see the logic in your point; if you're an expert giant-killer, you don't put your giant-killing tricks into play unless you think there are giants hanging around.
From a gamist standpoint though, it feels like kind of a poke in the eye to the ranger. Evil DM says "Yeah, I know you're an expert at fighting giants and all, but these giants were using disguise self to look like iron golems (and you didn't make your Will save when you interacted with the illusion) so you don't get your bonus against them. Haw haw, sucks to be you!"
Personally, I think that this makes a character class ability that is already dependent on DM fiat (as in, actually having the PCs encounter things that are of the ranger's FavEn type) even MORE dependent on DM fiat (as in, the DM not only needs to place them but ensure that the ranger has some reasonable means of determining their type).
Reasonable means would be a Knowledge check. Knowledge skills appropriate to the ranger's favorite enemies sopuld be treated as class skills in ths case.
My motivation is this: say the group is fighting an undead monster that does not necessarily look like an undead, maybe it's a bloodsucking amoeba-like creature that looks more like an ooze. The cleric player doesn't think of trying to identify it, the ranger attacks it, maybe even from afar without being really able to look at it up close and the DM has to announce "hey this is an undead creature, add your bonuses". Then the cleric goes ah! and with this free information that basically comes from nowhere can now proceed to blast it with channel energy. I don't like it.
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Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games
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Personally, I think that this makes a character class ability that is already dependent on DM fiat (as in, actually having the PCs encounter things that are of the ranger's FavEn type) even MORE dependent on DM fiat (as in, the DM not only needs to place them but ensure that the ranger has some reasonable means of determining their type).Reasonable means would be a Knowledge check. Knowledge skills appropriate to the ranger's favorite enemies sopuld be treated as class skills in ths case.
My motivation is this: say the group is fighting an undead monster that does not necessarily look like an undead, maybe it's a bloodsucking amoeba-like creature that looks more like an ooze. The cleric player doesn't think of trying to identify it, the ranger attacks it, maybe even from afar without being really able to look at it up close and the DM has to announce "hey this is an undead creature, add your bonuses". Then the cleric goes ah! and with this free information that basically comes from nowhere can now proceed to blast it with channel energy. I don't like it.
Then you have two options:
1. Have the DM secretly record the extra damage. He doesn't need to tell the ranger what damage is done, any more than he is compelled to reveal how much DR a creature has.
2. Allow rangers an auto-Knowledge check (as if trained, applying their FavEn bonus) to recognize creatures of their favored types.
The party I wouldn't think entirely fair is forcing the player of the ranger to remember to fact-check every monster he meets to see whether it is part of his favored list, especially for monsters which are not just ambiguous in appearance but actually intentionally disguised.
You might also grant the FavEn bonus as a bonus to saves to disbelieve illusions that hide the nature/identity of a FavEn. Hey, they already get a Perception bonus, so why not?
2. Allow rangers an auto-Knowledge check (as if trained, applying their FavEn bonus) to recognize creatures of their favored types.
This makes the most sense, and it's the way we play it in our home games. I mean, the ranger knows how to hunt his FE, he should be able to spot one without the player breaking open the monster manual or remembering to check *every* *single* *monster* they meet. The player and the character are not the same thing and it's unfair to expect Bob to know as much about hunting (the undead) as his character does.
Peace,
tfad
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Like the initiative bump
Not sure about the knowledge bump (I get that the ranger should be able to figure out how to kill it, or what it does to kill other people, so it does kind of make sense)
Not sure they should be able to grant their favored terrain bonus. Its one thing to say "hit its underside when it rears up," and another to say grant someone else the ability to track, gather food, or become more alert in a given area.
Sorry, I should have been more clear. When I said they should be able to use Hunter's Bond with Favored Terrain bonuses, I only meant the initiatve and combat bonuses.
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I am strongly considering increasing the ranger's initiative bonus for simplicity's sake. On the other hand, I think I like the bonus to Knowledge checks, but giving it to them as a class skill strikes me as a bit off. Just because you are good at hunting and hurting constructs, does not mean that you are skilled at all of the other functions of that skill.
Thoughts?
Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing
i agree
i would give the ranger the +2 in the rolls to know about his favored creature or favored terrain, but not to everything encompasing the knowledgefor example a ranger with favered enemy undead... should be an experti on this creatures, affording the +2 in any Knwledge: religion rolls... but not to understand the strange religious practices of the Shoanti (for example)
the same happens with Favored Terrain... i think it should give him a +2 on rolls only in his favored terrain
The ranger in my game using the "favored enemy bonus applies to Knowledge (to identify a creature)" as a house rule really likes it and said it feels like a good fit. If the ranger knows enough about these creatures to know how to hunt them, do extra damage, to bluff them and sense their motives, shouldn't they KNOW about the rest of what the creature does?
As a house rule, I also added Intimidate to the list of the skills that FavEnemy benefits. Honestly, if you know them enough to know their habits and trick them (Bluff/SM), you certainly ought to know how to scare them as well.
For what it's worth, it might be worth adding your favored enemy bonus to CMB when you are performing related combat actions, just as you would apply it to hit and damage with a standard attack. I have not playtested this yet but did create a feat that would allow you to do it (no one has taken the feat).
You could also create one or more supporting 'favored enemy' feats, adding your favored enemy bonus or favored terrain bonus to (either at full value or halved as you currently have initiative bonus):
1. Dodge or insight bonus to AC
2. Insight or competence bonus to saves
3. Caster level for spells cast vs. favored enemies
this sounds interesting... but maybe tioo much for a 1st leel character
but... call me crazy... why not add this every time they get another favored enemy... besidesd the +2 extra they could egt another extra bit... instead of another favored enemy
that way they could decide to have5 favored enemy... or lots of benefits vs 1 single favored enemy
about intimidate... while i like it... and my ranger loves it... i doubt it would do anygood versus undeads (his favored enemies) or constructs
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2. Allow rangers an auto-Knowledge check (as if trained, applying their FavEn bonus) to recognize creatures of their favored types.This makes the most sense, and it's the way we play it in our home games. I mean, the ranger knows how to hunt his FE, he should be able to spot one without the player breaking open the monster manual or remembering to check *every* *single* *monster* they meet. The player and the character are not the same thing and it's unfair to expect Bob to know as much about hunting (the undead) as his character does.
Peace,
tfad
i agrre and in thsipurposes it should count as class skills, but only on this purposes
This is what I would like to see done to Favoured Enemy and Terrain.
Favoured Enemy:
The ranger gains bonuses on Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival checks when using these skills against creatures of his selected type.
Likewise, he gets a bonus on initiative and damage rolls against such creatures.
It makes more sense to me to get an initiative bonus against your favoured enemy than it does to get it in your favoured terrain. (but that's just me). Having a bonus to damage but not to hit makes sense to me, because you aren't likely to hit your enemy any better, but your hatred of them might make you hit them harder.
Favoured Terrain:
The ranger gains bonuses on Knowledge (geography), Perception, Stealth, and Survival skill checks when he is in this terrain.
He also gets the equivalent of the ability Trackless Step (and possibly Woodland Stride) when in this terrain.
He has intimate knowledge of his favoured terrain and would be less likely to leave tracks or get tripped up while moving through it.
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Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games
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This is what I would like to see done to Favoured Enemy and Terrain.
Favoured Enemy:
The ranger gains bonuses on Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival checks when using these skills against creatures of his selected type.
Likewise, he gets a bonus on initiative and damage rolls against such creatures.
It makes more sense to me to get an initiative bonus against your favoured enemy than it does to get it in your favoured terrain. (but that's just me). Having a bonus to damage but not to hit makes sense to me, because you aren't likely to hit your enemy any better, but your hatred of them might make you hit them harder.
The problem with getting an initiative bonus vs. a certain type of creature is that you often encounter mixed groups.
Say you meet a human wizard mounted on a dragon. You have favored enemy (humanoid (human)) but not favored enemy (dragon).
Do you get your initiative bonus or not?
It's not a very solvable problem with the 3rd Ed initiative mechanic, unfortunately.
The reason why it makes sense with terrain is that, you're pretty stuck with whatever kind of terrain you're in. You're not going to be mountains and plains simultaneously, and even if you're in one that could maybe be questionable (swamp vs. aquatic "on a boat" maybe), you can just use whichever is better. The terrain isn't making a roll opposed to you, so you can pick which one you like and go with that.
Not so easy when you have different monsters on the other side of the battlefield.
Favoured Terrain:
The ranger gains bonuses on Knowledge (geography), Perception, Stealth, and Survival skill checks when he is in this terrain.
He also gets the equivalent of the ability Trackless Step (and possibly Woodland Stride) when in this terrain.
He has intimate knowledge of his favoured terrain and would be less likely to leave tracks or get tripped up while moving through it.
These are fine by me.
This is what I would like to see done to Favoured Enemy and Terrain.
Favoured Enemy:
The ranger gains bonuses on Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival checks when using these skills against creatures of his selected type.
Likewise, he gets a bonus on initiative and damage rolls against such creatures.
It makes more sense to me to get an initiative bonus against your favoured enemy than it does to get it in your favoured terrain. (but that's just me). Having a bonus to damage but not to hit makes sense to me, because you aren't likely to hit your enemy any better, but your hatred of them might make you hit them harder.The problem with getting an initiative bonus vs. a certain type of creature is that you often encounter mixed groups.
Say you meet a human wizard mounted on a dragon. You have favored enemy (humanoid (human)) but not favored enemy (dragon).
Do you get your initiative bonus or not?
It's not a very solvable problem with the 3rd Ed initiative mechanic, unfortunately.
The reason why it makes sense with terrain is that, you're pretty stuck with whatever kind of terrain you're in. You're not going to be mountains and plains simultaneously, and even if you're in one that could maybe be questionable (swamp vs. aquatic "on a boat" maybe), you can just use whichever is better. The terrain isn't making a roll opposed to you, so you can pick which one you like and go with that.
Not so easy when you have different monsters on the other side of the battlefield.
Point taken about the initiative bonus. How about a dodge bonus to AC when fighting a favoured enemy instead.
it hink the initiative bonus should bein FavoredTerrain, because you understand how to move better... be it sand, snow or jungle (depending your FE)
i like the bonus to AC vs favored enemies
How about giving the Ranger the same sort of Defensive Training against their Favoured Enemy that Dwarves get against Giant types. But the bonus would match their favoured enemy bonus.
"Defensive Training: Dwarves get a +4 dodge bonus to AC against monsters of the giant type".