I've just seen this here lying around and while I moved away from pathfinder some time ago, maybe some of you could make use of it. So I present:
Study Prey (Replaces Favored Enemy)
(A Ranger with Study Prey adds Knowledge (Arcana), Knowledge (Local), Knowledge (Planes) and Knowledge (Religion) to his class skills)
By consulting his informations and knowledge about a certain type of enemy for 15 minutes, a ranger can focus his abilities. He gains a bonus equal to 1+ half his skill ranks in the respective Knowledge skill (rounded down) on attack rolls, damage rolls, perception checks and survival checks against said creature type. He can only focus on enemies if he has at least one skill rank in the respective knowledge skill.
Study Prey lasts until used to focus on another enemy and is usable once per day at 1st level, and one additional time per day at 8th, 14th and 20th level.
Example: A 5th level ranger with 3 ranks in Knowledge (Religion) uses Study Prey to focus on undead. He gets a +2 bonus on attack rolls, damage rolls, perception checks and survival checks against undead until he uses Study Prey to focus on another type of enemy.
If a ranger goes with this class ability, he'll most likely use traits, stats and other such things to bump his knowledge up to somewhere closer to maybe 10.
With a build that makes full use of this ability, you're giving the ranger +5 to damage and attack rolls at 1st level.
I think it needs more thought. Perhaps limit the bonus to a maximum of double wisdom modifier, forcing this kind of ranger to be more MAD and compensate with less DEX and STR.
Actually, Gulian, it says half his skill ranks, not skill modifier. A 1st level ranger will have one rank in a skill, so he'll only get a +1 modifier at 1st level, even if he has a +6 skill modifier in say Knowledge (arcane). But I will also note that a 20th level ranger with maximum ranks gets a +11 bonus to those rolls.
The uses per day leave me scratching my head though: 1st, 8th, 14th, 20th? Why not keep it to the favored enemy progression?
The uses per day leave me scratching my head though: 1st, 8th, 14th, 20th? Why not keep it to the favored enemy progression?
That's actually because of a "carry over" effect. You choose 'animals' as your favorite enemy on one day and get your bonus until you change it to, say, 'magical beasts' on another day. And because you can have full skill-ranks in several knowledge skills, and one can be used for several creature types, I thought it to be better to slow down the uses per day a bit.
You can change it to your desired pace, though.
Well this feels a lot more flavourful and intuitive than favored enemy, and I like how it actually makes knowing something about your prey matter. Very nice. I might also favor using the standard favored enemy progression, but I daresay that's just a question of what power level one prefers for the ranger class. Kudos.
One downside I do note is that you have to spend 15 minutes getting ready. It won't do much for you if you can't prepare ahead. A typical ranger might fight a group with more than one creature type and do well because they creatures match his favored enemies well (for example a vampire charming or dominating or just lording it over some human lackeys). This methods means you're ready for the vampire OR its human servants, not both.
One downside I do note is that you have to spend 15 minutes getting ready. It won't do much for you if you can't prepare ahead. A typical ranger might fight a group with more than one creature type and do well because they creatures match his favored enemies well (for example a vampire charming or dominating or just lording it over some human lackeys). This methods means you're ready for the vampire OR its human servants, not both.
You are right, and it's actually intended. It makes a ranger more tactical, consulting his notes and knowledge in advance to find out all the weak spots, but really hit them when they do. Also, a very knowledgeable ranger could prepare for almost any enemy if he knows what he's up to.
Any abilities that relate to Favored Enemy should be reworked for this, of course. That means an Instant Prey spell (formerly Instant Enemy) would jam the knowledge in your head instantly,for a duration.