Hello,
I recently saw the Nature Warden PrC, and thought it might make a good PrC for a animal-companion-oriented ranger. However, I checked it, and it seemed rather underwhelming. As far as I understand it, it is a PrC for rangers or multiclass rangers, as that - and the horizon walker PrC - is how you would meet the favoured terain prerequisites. Yet it has lower HD, BAB and skills than the ranger, and druids lose out on some casting and polymorph. It gives some terrain-related bonuses, some spell-like abilities and a few companion-related ones, but it seemed like a rather poor trade. What do you think?
I've been trying to figure out what it's for as well, but I've got no idea.
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Hello,
I recently saw the Nature Warden PrC, and thought it might make a good PrC for a animal-companion-oriented ranger. However, I checked it, and it seemed rather underwhelming. As far as I understand it, it is a PrC for rangers or multiclass rangers, as that - and the horizon walker PrC - is how you would meet the favoured terain prerequisites. Yet it has lower HD, BAB and skills than the ranger, and druids lose out on some casting and polymorph. It gives some terrain-related bonuses, some spell-like abilities and a few companion-related ones, but it seemed like a rather poor trade. What do you think?
As for the Nature Warden, I believe there was a little bit of crunch when it came down to the wire. It would seem to me that the terrain specific druids would have been thematically perfect for this PrC. I believe the intention originally was that an alternate druid (Desert, Cave, Aquatic etc) could take this class. I may be wrong in this but in my games it is how I am personally ruling it.
As for losing out on some BAB and a lower HD... it comes with the territory, you are focused on your animals well being and that of the land you are sworn to protect, you have to sacrifice something for the class. Is it optimized? No, but it sure is pretty cool.
As for the Nature Warden, I believe there was a little bit of crunch when it came down to the wire. It would seem to me that the terrain specific druids would have been thematically perfect for this PrC. I believe the intention originally was that an alternate druid (Desert, Cave, Aquatic etc) could take this class. I may be wrong in this but in my games it is how I am personally ruling it.As for losing out on some BAB and a lower HD... it comes with the territory, you are focused on your animals well being and that of the land you are sworn to protect, you have to sacrifice something for the class. Is it optimized? No, but it sure is pretty cool.
Trouble is, how is this conceptually different from just being a ranger. Or druid. Or, heck, cleric?
My problem with Nature Warden is that I don't find it a particular unique nature-y concept that you need a PrC to be able to do. Sounds more like a character concept for your ranger, or /maybe/ an archetype if you need to change it up a little bit.
I don't hate that the nature warden exist, but I thought PrCs were supposed to be more 'different from core concepts' than this.
I am working my cleric/ranger toward it and keep hoping it will be useful in the Kingmaker game we are in. As opposed to some more general classes like fighter, cleric, rogue, and universalist it is an I hope that my character won't be an anchor but a driving engine. As a cleric/ranger I will miss the channeling progression and falling behind in spells but wands/scrolls will help with that.