Stupid Suggestion 4?: Rangers

[thaelis]

Since Fighters now have Spot, Listen, Survival and 4 skill points per level (plus all their nice bonuses to killing power!) are Rangers eventually going to get a bit of a boost?

Forgive me if I've asked this before! I think I may have but it got submerged in the unrelated thread it was in.

Suggestion 1: Something to do with archery. Its always bugged me how a Fighter who specialises in bow actually makes a way better archer than a Ranger (Greater focus, Greater specialisation). And now with the +3 extra to hit its even more pronounced.

Suggestion 2: Small sneak attack damage? Maybe +1d6 per 5 levels? (this could possibly also solve problem 1 now that I think of it, duh!)

[Jhickey]

If I am not mistaken, I think it will be pathfinderized soon. It will not add much more in the way of damage or skill with fighting style. The fact that a fighter is better with a weapon has to do with the fact that no one should be better than a fighter with so much invested in a certain weapon.

[Nyssis]

Sneak attack bonuses have a ranged limitation of 30 feet in Neverwinter Nights 2, so while it would be a great addition for dual-wield rangers archery ones would have to be within a one tile distance to apply their bonus.

I agree with Jhickey on the performance of the class. I operate under the impression that rangers are the trackers and the skill-based class rather than the main dps potential of a group, though this is just my opinion.

[thaelis]

I agree with Jhickey on the performance of the class. I operate under the impression that rangers are the trackers and the skill-based class rather than the main dps potential of a group, though this is just my opinion.

Thats true I guess, but now Fighters get the three most iconic/useful Ranger skills so they can't really claim to that role now either.

If it got Pathfindered that'd be sweet!

I think the only real extra's would be Quarry, which is a really cool ability and would make them comparable to a Fighter (+4 to hit) against one chosen enemy every 10 mins. Favoured Terrain would also be cool (though seems hard to implement? But what would I know...)

EDIT: My bad...also in Pathfinder they get +2 to hit AND damage each time they choose Favoured enemy. Unless I'm reading this wrong they can get up to +10 to hit/+10 dmg against one favoured enemy at level 20!

[Lotus]

Rangers are very low on our list of classes to look at and adjust. Their contribution to a party is still very high, and they have enormous utility (Detection, Stealth, Evasion, Move Speed). And then epic Rangers are just terrifying.

[Gamling]

Yeah. Ranger is probably one of the funnest PVP classes. Look at the high level rangers on Sundren that used to play. Full speed HiPS? You're not catching them unless you plan very carefully or have high spot/listen.

[Handsomeman]

Rangers are actually not bad at all, especially at high levels. They have traps, spells, pets and other stuff that would destroy any fighter if played properly. Even when i was playing as my lvl 22 warrior Kyle, i wouldn't dare to pick a fight with Maia lvl20-21 ranger because i know she would destroy Kyle at everyturn except maybe an indoors fight.

[ShadowFox]

Suggestion 1: Something to do with archery. Its always bugged me how a Fighter who specialises in bow actually makes a way better archer than a Ranger (Greater focus, Greater specialisation). And now with the +3 extra to hit its even more pronounced.

I'm slightly disappointed with fighters, here. A fighter focusing on ranged stuff can get improved rapid shot at level 6, compared to a Ranger at level 11, but is still barred from the entirely awesome epic-feat One-Shot that archery rangers get automatically a full 7 levels before anyone else can so so (Min. Dex 27: starting dex 20 + 1/4-levels).

So what if it's an epic-level problem? Rangers being the only people to have an insta-max-crit once a minute that ignores deflection and concealment, often with an x3 multiplier, is more than a balance in my book, particularly with the recent daily that allows for attaining level 21.

[Farmboy2003]

how about just looking at the IFE and IFPA feats, and make them more generalized? That would do a world of difference to the current ranger, and would still be nice to have done for when the pathfinderization comes!

Do rangers have cl equal to class level/2 on sundren or is it class level-4?

The thing with kyle and rangers, is that kyle has now both listen and spot, AND 2 ekstra skill points/level with which to max them out, AND weapon master abilities AND dr 5/- And +3 to hit AND acces to 4 more ac with armour trainong... But he's still not as cool as a ranger :-)

[Cornuto]

I agree that it'd be nice with these worked globally against all favored enemies.

[Doubtful]

I'd love to see IPE and FPA become a global feat, that'd really do wonders for rangers.

Also, Urban Rangers as a variant with familiars type things instead of animal companions, a different skill/ability layout and a different selection of deities (if possible, to be fair I'd like the ranger deities expanded. And the Spirit Shamans for that matter).

[Farmboy2003]

rangers can pick angharradh as a diety, but she is always only worshipped in one of her three aspects. But neither hanali cenali, sehanine moonbow or aidrye feynara (or whatshername) can be picked by rangers, so I wouldn't mind a few choices there. I much prefer the 3.0 ranger where they do not need to be holy about their spells at all!

[Doubtful]

That's what I'd like to see, any deity for rangers!




And Spirit Shamans.

[Farmboy2003]

Soeh, are those feat changes doable? Every post about rangers in this forum has this point about those two feats, but can and will it be done? Too low a priority?

tbh I like the ife is specific, because a +5 to a specific enemy is a great way to shape your character, whereas +3 to all seems like a no-brainer feat. But the ifpa is a bit too specific for my tastes and feat investmemt, an really hampers the rangers melee damage outpit potential.