Ranger Homebrew upgrade

[kyrt-ryder]

Hey guys, I've been looking over my campaign ideas, and looking over the ranger class, and I came to a realization. They fair 'ok' against their best favored enemy, maybe their second best, but they tend to not really bring their force to bare against their lesser favored enemies.

As such, I'm implementing this houserule (and would like to hear feedback from you guys.)

Part 1: Changed progression. Rather than gaining an additional one at fifth level and every 5th level thereafter, I am having my rangers gain extra favored enemies every 4 levels. (1, 5, 9, 13, and 17 to be specific), the reasoning, is that 20th level almost never sees any play, and 17th level is the level all the primary casters (sorcerer's are houseruled to proper spell level progression in my game) gain 9th level spells so an extra kick up there is appreciated.

Part 2: Rangers no longer have 'weaker' favored enemies, each favored enemy gained has the maximum favored enemy bonus available at that level. (For example at level 9 he will have three favored enemies that each grant +6 to all appropriate bonuses.)

Part 3: Rangers gain a bonus on all saves caused by their favored enemy's (poison, traps crafted by a favored enemy, spell save DC's, everything) equal to 1/2 their current favored enemy bonus.

There is one final part I want to add but I won't until I've had a chance to playtest the first, but I'm still going to lay it down for review.

Part 4: Rangers choose a Type to specialize against (no subtypes in this part), additionally, they choose a preferred prey subtype. Against the preferred subtype they're favored enemy bonuses are as normal, against all others of the type they gain 1/2 (round down as normal)

Feat(that coordinates with Part 4, prereqs undetermined and irrelevant at this point): Master Hunter- Choose one favored Enemy type that you posses, now all creatures of that type are considered your preferred prey. This feat may be taken more than once, it's effects don't stack, each time you take this feat it applies to a different favored enemy type.

[kyrt-ryder]

Any thoughts guys? I'd like a little feedback before I put these into play.

[Thurgon]

kyrt-ryder wrote:

Any thoughts guys? I'd like a little feedback before I put these into play.

I'd just let them specialize, that gives them the ability to be better against all foes at the cost of feats but still it works. After all when specialization first entered D&D rangers got it.

[kyrt-ryder]

The reason I didn't is because the weapon spec feats are kind of the fighter's thing. The Ranger should be better vs his favored enemies, and with the application of his very few spells he should be better than the ranger vs anybody else, but my thought is that those creatures the ranger hasn't trained against are the fighter's time to shine by comparison.

(I just find that, in a normal campaign that's not oriented against one or two specific ranger FE's, the ranger fails to shine enough.)

What did you think of the altered favored enemy progression and the boost to saves?

[Thurgon]

kyrt-ryder wrote:

The reason I didn't is because the weapon spec feats are kind of the fighter's thing. The Ranger should be better vs his favored enemies, and with the application of his very few spells he should be better than the ranger vs anybody else, but my thought is that those creatures the ranger hasn't trained against are the fighter's time to shine by comparison.

(I just find that, in a normal campaign that's not oriented against one or two specific ranger FE's, the ranger fails to shine enough.)

What did you think of the altered favored enemy progression and the boost to saves?

Fighters also have weapon group bonuses to make them strictly better against shared foes, and many more feats.

But that aside, I guess just make them not have a favored favorite enemy and just apply the top bonus verse all their choosen foes. That could work. Over all though yeah rangers seem to fall short compared to fighters in most fights not involving a favored enemy, my game the ranger is feeling like he made the wrong choice in classes now at level 10 when the fighter is clearly tougher (hvy armor with the armor training thing) and does more damage against many foes. But I promised him a near all giant adventure is coming still, if he tries to play like a fighter and go in and hold the line he gets smashed because of his AC.

[kyrt-ryder]

It wasn't the fighters thing as much for the sake of being the fighter's thing (although that is true) as it is that the ranger can't afford that many feats with moderate benefits each. The chain provides pretty sweet boosts, but it's a very hefty investment for a non-fighter. (Not as bad since rangers do get 5 bonus feats now, but still not pretty)