Hi all,
I'm going with a new character concept. It's inspired by the Disney movie Brother bear... I like to make a ranger which can change into a bear. I would like to hear your thoughts about the following idea:
The ranger drops it's animal companion, instead he gets wild shape like the druid ability but only to change into bear shapes (according to when they become available like the normal rules). The number of times and duration is also all the same as if the ranger levels were druid levels. The rest of the character is just according to the ranger rule set.
Do you think this is overpowered or underpowered? Do you advice another approach to the concept? I'm curious about what you guys and girls think :-)
Seems like a prestige class?? I don't really like to multiclass.. But thanks for the suggestion anyway :-) did not know it excisted :-)
Why not play a Druid with the Bear Shaman archetype?
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To echo Zhayne - what about the original made you decide the character should be a ranger? Was it something to do with the ranged combat style, or something else specific to ranger? Is it actually something a Druid can't do for some reason?
But back to your original question...the normal Animal Companion for a Ranger is a lower level effect than the Druid Animal Companion. So, assuming Animal Companion and Wildshape are about the same value, you would need to lower the effective level of Wildshape to match. Wildshape itself kicks in for the Druid at level 4, meaning for this Ranger, it wouldn't be available until level 8. I suspect that isn't what you want...
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Why not play a Druid with the Bear Shaman archetype?
This is what I basically did in Serpent's Skull (except I played a Lion Shaman). You take 1 level of Ranger and the rest as Druid (Bear Shaman). You take SHAPESHIFTING HUNTER so your Druid levels count as Ranger levels for the purposes of Favored Enemy (and Ranger Levels count as Druid levels for #/day you can Shapeshift). I also recommend PLANAR WILDSHAPE to help with DR issues and to make you tougher. NATURAL SPELL and WILD SPEECH are good too, especially if you stay in your beast form 24 hours a day (as I did towards the end of the campaign). The Magical Knack trait helps offset the 1 Caster Level lost, but that lost level will always be a little bit of an annoyance.
You could go 2 levels of Ranger to get the Natural Weapon combat style feat, but I don't consider it worth it because it hurts your spellcasting and, more importantly, delays your Shapeshifting.
I choose to take the Nobility Domain rather than an Animal Companion, but you could be a Bear Shaman with a Bear Companion. Mostly depends on whether you want to run a second creature, or simply your preference.
Another variation is to pick up feats to make him a decent summoner, and have summoning bears as a second trick (in addition to the Shapeshifting).
EDIT - And it's all RAW, so no need to ask your GM to make special dispensations for you, or to alter the Ranger class.
Thanks for the input so far!
My reason to play a ranger is that I like the idea to mix the bow and arrow with sword play.. think Legolas. A druid can't pull this of like a ranger can I think. I have never tried to build a sword fighting druid :-)... don't know if it is wise...
The bear shape is part combat and part roleplay flavour.
I thought about multiclassing a druid with a ranger. It would be something like this:
An half elf, multiclass druid/trapper ranger.
Half elf for the 2 favored classes, low light vision and elven imunities.
Druid up to a minimum of L9 so you get level 5 spells and wild shape (with all Beast shape options open).
The Ranger trapper because I think that placing traps is cool :-) and the trapfinding is a nice bonus which i really like. Also the ranger fits nice with the druid with the new feats Shapeshifting hunter and Shaping focus.
I prefer to play a non-multiclass character thought, and a straight ranger would be stronger in combat I think...
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Well, there is the Shapeshifter Ranger You don't actually shapeshift until 20, but you can take an aspect of the bear for a big boost to STR. Unfortunately, it forced you into the the natural weapon combat style.
If not from class, you could be bearlike from the race, be a Skinwalker Coldborn (Werebear-kin)from Blood of the Moon.
Thanks all for the suggestions! The coldborn sounds cool, maybe i can find something in the book about shape shifting like i want to..
Can a wish give a ranger the ability to change into a bear at will? Just a thought :-)
Do you think it would be overpowerd if a ranger would get one shape and progress like a Druids wild shape? Dropping the animal companion..
If your GM allows it, what about a werebear?
A wish could transform the individual into a natural werebear.
A wish could transform the individual into a natural werebear.
A wish granted by a devil...who will collect at later date. And it has a big price tag.
Well... 3.5 had a variant...
A ranger might forgo training in weapon combat in exchange for the ability to take animal form and move swiftly through the woodlands.
Gain
Wild shape (as druid; Small or Medium animals only), fast movement (as barbarian).
Lose
Combat style, improved combat style, combat style mastery.
With a little tinkering it may work for your concept and your story teller might allow it.
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You might also want to check out the New Paths Compendium from Kobold Press.
It has the Skin-Changer which is an alternate spell-less ranger and I think it might be exactly what you are looking for ;)
Just bought the book from kobold press, it is very nice!!! The ranger is just what i was looking for! Thanks very much for the tip!
The 3.5 version could also be a option, to bad that with both you lose a lot of feats..
Werebear would be sweet... But where do you find a wish when you need one :-)