Ranger Archetype that get's heavy armor?

[nosig]

Is there a Ranger Archetype that gets Heavy Armor?

My sister is wanting to run a dwarven Ranger type in a low level game, but she was wanting heavy armor. Short of taking her first feat for it, is there another way for her to pick up Heavy Armor Prof.?

[Lemartes]

I just checked all the archetypes and combat styles for rangers.

No. Unless I somehow missed something.

I guess dip into another class that has heavy armour?

[Wonderstell]

No archetype as far as I'm aware, and you actually lose access to your bonus feats when you wield heavy armor.

Ranger Combat Styles wrote:

The benefits of the ranger’s chosen style feats apply only when he wears light, medium, or no armor. He loses all benefits of his combat style feats when wearing heavy armor. Once a ranger selects a combat style, it cannot be changed.

Maybe try a slayer instead? They get the Ranger's Combat Style feats but don't suffer the armor limitation.

[Lemartes]

Ah good catch Wonderstell I didn't even think of that. I don't really play rangers! ;)

[nosig]

Thanks everyone!

I'll report it to her... she's starting the PC as a Ranger (likely to go Corpse Hunter Archetype - so was hoping for something that might combine with that) but is likely not going to take more than a level or two of that... mostly for background. She was hoping for something that might swap out Combat Style for Heavy armor - which would fit her Dwarf personality more... she's looking for an armored tracker... anyway. thanks!

[willuwontu]

If they still want to be a ranger, (getting heavy armor prof somehow), they could always take Agile Maiden and use Gray Maidenplate.

[Melkiador]

nosig wrote:

She was hoping for something that might swap out Combat Style for Heavy armor - which would fit her Dwarf personality more... she's looking for an armored tracker... anyway. thanks!

Hmm. Combat style is often what people most want out of ranger. If she only wants to be an armored tracker, then slayer can do that with a heavy armor feat pick.

If she wanted an animal companion while having track, she could go hunter. She’d still need to spend a feat on heavy armor.

[Cavall]

willuwontu wrote:

If they still want to be a ranger, (getting heavy armor prof somehow), they could always take Agile Maiden and use Gray Maidenplate.

This is really great because the feat requirements are basically ranger made.

[RAWmonger]

could always wear Mithral heavy armor later in the game if you grab proficiency... can still use ranger combat styles then... the real question is if the character is dex based (my assumption), why are they wanted heavy armor?

[avr]

A masked maiden vigilante gets gray maiden armor, proficiency in it, and a social talent which could be used for +4 to survival if you want, all at first level. And a mental disorder, true.

[nosig]

RAWmonger wrote:

could always wear Mithral heavy armor later in the game if you grab proficiency... can still use ranger combat styles then... the real question is if the character is dex based (my assumption), why are they wanted heavy armor?

She is actually running a Dwarf, so the Mithral armor wouldn't really buy her all that much - still only a 20' move.

Ranger gives her favored enemy, skill points and wand use - at least I think that's what she was looking at.

I need to look more into the masked maiden vigilante - and the note on a "mental disorder" may actually be right up her alley - she's playing her with Claustrophobia (yeah, a Dwarf afraid of small tunnels underground... go figure).

[RAWmonger]

Mithral armor would allow her to use heavy armor and still benefit from her Ranger Combat Style feats... think that may buy her quite a bit

[Quixote]

Why not come up with an archetype yourself?

Dwarves have an ability that allows them to ignore some of the issues with encumbrance and armor.
Rangers have a limitation with armor.
The two just don't mesh well.

Pathfinder is usually pretty good when it comes to swapping these sorts of things in and out so as to minimize "dead" bonuses, especially when it comes to racial abilities.

This seems totally in line with the reason archetypes exist in the first place.
Off the cuff, maybe...drop skills down to 4/level, slap on heavy armor proficiency and remove the restrictions on fighting style?
If that feels like too good of a buy, maybe remove or delay access to another ability or two?

[Melkiador]

Mithral wrote:

Heavy armors are treated as medium, and medium armors are treated as light, but light armors are still treated as light. This decrease does not apply to proficiency in wearing the armor. A character wearing mithral full plate must be proficient in wearing heavy armor to avoid adding the armor's check penalty to all his attack rolls and skill checks that involve moving.

So, a ranger wearing heavy mithral counts as wearing medium for everything except proficiency.

[nosig]

Quixote wrote:

Why not come up with an archetype yourself?

Dwarves have an ability that allows them to ignore some of the issues with encumbrance and armor.
Rangers have a limitation with armor.
The two just don't mesh well.

Pathfinder is usually pretty good when it comes to swapping these sorts of things in and out so as to minimize "dead" bonuses, especially when it comes to racial abilities.

This seems totally in line with the reason archetypes exist in the first place.
Off the cuff, maybe...drop skills down to 4/level, slap on heavy armor proficiency and remove the restrictions on fighting style?
If that feels like too good of a buy, maybe remove or delay access to another ability or two?

Yeah, I figured I would do something like that. Maybe come up with a Dwarven Ranger that modifies the Combat Style to be Armor feats rather than weapon feats.

[Java Man]

Or look for an archetype that gives up the combat style for something that works with heavy armor. Big game hunter comes to mind.

[RAWmonger]

Melkiador wrote:

Mithral wrote:

Heavy armors are treated as medium, and medium armors are treated as light, but light armors are still treated as light. This decrease does not apply to proficiency in wearing the armor. A character wearing mithral full plate must be proficient in wearing heavy armor to avoid adding the armor's check penalty to all his attack rolls and skill checks that involve moving.

So, a ranger wearing heavy mithral counts as wearing medium for everything except proficiency.

That's correct. Link to FAQ.