Ranger's Favored Enemy Question

[Kaelan Ashenveil]

So I'm currently using this Reddit fix to the Drake Companion Archetypes, and going to play a Drake Warden.

This one.

My question to the ladies and gentlemen of the board is... if I trade out my "Second favored enemy" does my first one still advance, do I get a "third" one, or...? I'm as confused as an orc watching a goblin reading.

[Koi Eokei]

You wouldn't get your second favored enemy until 10th level. Then another at 15th, and your fourth favored enemy at 20th. You're only giving up the increase at 5th level. So you'll only have a +2 bonus on your first favored enemy until 10th level when you get back on track.

Comparison, Freebooter gives up the favored enemy class ability entirely.

Hooded Champion gives up just first level favored enemy.

Battle Scout gives up 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.

See how its worded. Yours is specific.

[Maezer]

I think this is the relevant rules excerpt:

"If an archetype replaces a class feature that is part of a series of improvements or additions to a base ability (such as a fighter’s weapon training or a ranger’s favored enemy), the next time the character would gain that ability, it counts as the lower-level ability that was replaced by the archetype. In effect, all abilities in that series are delayed until the next time the class improves that ability. For example, if an archetype replaces a rogue’s +2d6 sneak attack bonus at 3rd level, when she reaches 5th level and gains a sneak attack bonus, her sneak attack doesn’t jump from +1d6 to +3d6—it improves to +2d6, just as if she had finally gained the increase at 3rd level. This adjustment continues for every level at which her sneak attack would improve, until at 19th level she has +9d6 instead of the +10d6 of a standard rogue."

[Kaelan Ashenveil]

You guys are amazing, thank you very much