DL Rangers - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

DL Rangers

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
Oct 30, 2003 21:02:10 In the campaign I have started, which takes place fairly early in the 5th age, one of the players is playing a ranger. they have only acheived second level, but I am caught in a quandry: at fourth level, a ranger starts to gain divine spells, and in DL, "nature magic" is granted by one of three gods, who no longer, at least for now, exist on Krynn. Since the ranger class is built with spells as part of its balance, I was wondering what other people do to handle this.

do you just leave it as is, without magic, and no other class modifications, or do you do something like give extra skill points, or an extra feat progression like the fighter? do you allow him an epiphany, and gain Mystic divine, or maybe give him access to primal sorcery? Right now I am just trying to figure out how to keep the character balanced with the other characters in the party, but we haven't reached the problem levels yet.

Thanks for your input.
#2
Dragonhelm
Oct 30, 2003 21:56:40 Excellent question. On page 97 of the DLCS (under the Changing Focus section, which details epiphanies), it mentions rangers, druids, and bards in the final paragraph.

There, it mentions that the DM may allow the ranger to cast spells spontaneously, but game balance should be kept in mind if you do this. You may wish to limit the number of spells the ranger can know, then allow him to cast spontaneously.

As for an in-world explanation, one needs only look at the spheres of Mysticism (mentioned in Age of Mortals). Rangers would be divine spellcasters who used mysticism, specifically the sphere of animism (which deals with plants and animals).

If you wanted, you could keep the rules the same, then just say that the character's magic comes from animism. That's the fast and simple approach.
#3
cam_banks
Oct 31, 2003 9:15:57 My recommendation would be to take a leaf out of the 3.5 edition assassin, which is now a spontanous arcane caster like the bard. In 3.0 it prepared spells, but no longer needs to, and has a "spells known" chart. Take this chart and have it start at 4th level, and have the ranger choose spells from the ranger list. Here's more or less how it would look:

Level 1 2 3 4
4th 2* - - -
5th 3 - - -
6th 3 2* - -
7th 3 3 - -
8th 3 3 2* -
9th 4 3 3 -
10th 4 3 3 2*
11th 4 4 3 3
12th 4 4 3 3
13th 4 4 4 3
14th 5 4 4 3
15th 5 4 4 4
16th 5 5 4 4
17th 5 5 4 4
18th 5 5 5 4
19th 5 5 5 5
20th 5 5 5 5
* Only if able to cast spells of that level.

At certain levels the number of spells known won't change (11th and 12th are the same, 16th and 17th are the same, and 19th and 20th are the same) but at those break points, the ranger's spells per day does increase, so there's still a nice bonus for going up a level.

That should do it for you, Winterknight. Simple enough solution for a mystic ranger! You could apply a similar format to mystic paladins if you're so inclined.

Cheers,
Cam
#4
zombiegleemax
Oct 31, 2003 9:24:48 Thanks, for that. I'll run that one by the player and see what he wants to do.

I was avoiding the Mystic Paladine Idea, since I am pretty sure the Paladin title stems from "Personal Warrior", though I am not sure were I read that, so I tend to view them as the personal warrior/chosen soldier of a god.
#5
zombiegleemax
Nov 01, 2003 16:02:46 Good thinking there, Cam. I was wondering how to do that myself. Your suggestion just might do the trick.
#6
iltharanos
Nov 03, 2003 0:32:48 Another possibility is to follow Rokugan's ranger treatment. Instead of spellcasting the ranger gets a bonus feat (selected from the fighter bonus feat list) at each level in which he would have gained a new spell level. So this spell-less ranger would get bonus feats at 4th, 8th, 11th, and 14th.
#7
zombiegleemax
Nov 03, 2003 13:21:01 “If you wanted, you could keep the rules the same, then just say that the character's magic comes from animism. That's the fast and simple approach.”

Instead of having his spell casting abilities come from the “gods of nature”, they will come from the “primeval forces of nature”. Of course, there is a lot of wonderful role-playing and adventuring opportunities for the PC to have to develop this close bond with nature in order to get his spells.

That way I keep the rules the same, and I get a chance to develop the PCs relation with nature to such a level as to allow him to “tap” into the power of nature to “influence the natural world” aka cast spells.

George

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Oct 30, 2003 21:02:10	In the campaign I have started, which takes place fairly early in the 5th age, one of the players is playing a ranger. they have only acheived second level, but I am caught in a quandry: at fourth level, a ranger starts to gain divine spells, and in DL, "nature magic" is granted by one of three gods, who no longer, at least for now, exist on Krynn. Since the ranger class is built with spells as part of its balance, I was wondering what other people do to handle this. do you just leave it as is, without magic, and no other class modifications, or do you do something like give extra skill points, or an extra feat progression like the fighter? do you allow him an epiphany, and gain Mystic divine, or maybe give him access to primal sorcery? Right now I am just trying to figure out how to keep the character balanced with the other characters in the party, but we haven't reached the problem levels yet. Thanks for your input.
#2 Dragonhelm Oct 30, 2003 21:56:40	Excellent question. On page 97 of the DLCS (under the Changing Focus section, which details epiphanies), it mentions rangers, druids, and bards in the final paragraph. There, it mentions that the DM may allow the ranger to cast spells spontaneously, but game balance should be kept in mind if you do this. You may wish to limit the number of spells the ranger can know, then allow him to cast spontaneously. As for an in-world explanation, one needs only look at the spheres of Mysticism (mentioned in Age of Mortals). Rangers would be divine spellcasters who used mysticism, specifically the sphere of animism (which deals with plants and animals). If you wanted, you could keep the rules the same, then just say that the character's magic comes from animism. That's the fast and simple approach.
#3 cam_banks Oct 31, 2003 9:15:57	My recommendation would be to take a leaf out of the 3.5 edition assassin, which is now a spontanous arcane caster like the bard. In 3.0 it prepared spells, but no longer needs to, and has a "spells known" chart. Take this chart and have it start at 4th level, and have the ranger choose spells from the ranger list. Here's more or less how it would look: Level 1 2 3 4 4th 2* - - - 5th 3 - - - 6th 3 2* - - 7th 3 3 - - 8th 3 3 2* - 9th 4 3 3 - 10th 4 3 3 2* 11th 4 4 3 3 12th 4 4 3 3 13th 4 4 4 3 14th 5 4 4 3 15th 5 4 4 4 16th 5 5 4 4 17th 5 5 4 4 18th 5 5 5 4 19th 5 5 5 5 20th 5 5 5 5 * Only if able to cast spells of that level. At certain levels the number of spells known won't change (11th and 12th are the same, 16th and 17th are the same, and 19th and 20th are the same) but at those break points, the ranger's spells per day does increase, so there's still a nice bonus for going up a level. That should do it for you, Winterknight. Simple enough solution for a mystic ranger! You could apply a similar format to mystic paladins if you're so inclined. Cheers, Cam
#4 zombiegleemax Oct 31, 2003 9:24:48	Thanks, for that. I'll run that one by the player and see what he wants to do. I was avoiding the Mystic Paladine Idea, since I am pretty sure the Paladin title stems from "Personal Warrior", though I am not sure were I read that, so I tend to view them as the personal warrior/chosen soldier of a god.
#5 zombiegleemax Nov 01, 2003 16:02:46	Good thinking there, Cam. I was wondering how to do that myself. Your suggestion just might do the trick.
#6 iltharanos Nov 03, 2003 0:32:48	Another possibility is to follow Rokugan's ranger treatment. Instead of spellcasting the ranger gets a bonus feat (selected from the fighter bonus feat list) at each level in which he would have gained a new spell level. So this spell-less ranger would get bonus feats at 4th, 8th, 11th, and 14th.
#7 zombiegleemax Nov 03, 2003 13:21:01	“If you wanted, you could keep the rules the same, then just say that the character's magic comes from animism. That's the fast and simple approach.” Instead of having his spell casting abilities come from the “gods of nature”, they will come from the “primeval forces of nature”. Of course, there is a lot of wonderful role-playing and adventuring opportunities for the PC to have to develop this close bond with nature in order to get his spells. That way I keep the rules the same, and I get a chance to develop the PCs relation with nature to such a level as to allow him to “tap” into the power of nature to “influence the natural world” aka cast spells. George