WotC ranger combat styles?

Jasin Zujovic wrote:
> Are there official alternate combat styles for rangers other than
> archery and TWF?
>
> What additional combat styles, if any, do you use in your games?
>
> Do you think this is a reasonable option: Mobility at 2nd, Spring Attack
> at 6th, Whirlwind Attack at 11th? Or that feat that gives you two
> attacks on a Spring Attack from PHB2 instead of WWA?

I keep meaning to introduce a couple of pure natural attack chain. It
strikes me as unreasonable that classed magical beasts and awakened
animals living in the wild can't really use ranger combat styles (which
are a significant part of a Ranger's power).

Something like Improved Natural Attack (any one natural attack) at
level 2, Improved Grapple at level 6, and Greater Weapon Focus (any one
Natural Attack) at level 11.

DougL
 >> Stay informed about: WotC ranger combat styles? 

Jasin Zujovic wrote:
> Are there official alternate combat styles for rangers other than
> archery and TWF?
>
> What additional combat styles, if any, do you use in your games?
>
> Do you think this is a reasonable option: Mobility at 2nd, Spring
> Attack at 6th, Whirlwind Attack at 11th? Or that feat that gives you
> two attacks on a Spring Attack from PHB2 instead of WWA?

That's a cool idea... I like it!!!

--
Reginald Blue
"I have always wished that my computer would be as easy to use as my
telephone. My wish has come true. I no longer know how to use my
telephone."
- Bjarne Stroustrup (originator of C++) [quoted at the 2003
International Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces]
 >> Stay informed about: WotC ranger combat styles? 

DougL wrote:

>Jasin Zujovic wrote:
>
>
>>Are there official alternate combat styles for rangers other than
>>archery and TWF?
>>
>>What additional combat styles, if any, do you use in your games?
>>
>>Do you think this is a reasonable option: Mobility at 2nd, Spring Attack
>>at 6th, Whirlwind Attack at 11th? Or that feat that gives you two
>>attacks on a Spring Attack from PHB2 instead of WWA?
>>
>>
>
>I keep meaning to introduce a couple of pure natural attack chain. It
>strikes me as unreasonable that classed magical beasts and awakened
>animals living in the wild can't really use ranger combat styles (which
>are a significant part of a Ranger's power).
>
>Something like Improved Natural Attack (any one natural attack) at
>level 2, Improved Grapple at level 6, and Greater Weapon Focus (any one
>Natural Attack) at level 11.
>
>DougL
>
>
>
Would you be ignoring the INA BAB requirement of +4?

--
Tetsubo
My page: http://home.comcast.net/~tetsubo/
--------------------------------------
"The apparent lesson of the Inquisition is that insistence on uniformity of belief is fatal to intellectual, moral and spiritual health."
-The Uses Of The Past-, Herbert J. Muller

(\_/)
(O.o)
(> <)
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 >> Stay informed about: WotC ranger combat styles? 

"Jasin Zujovic" <jzujovic.RemoveThis@inet.hr> wrote in message
news:MPG.1f73d2b97996b5fe989ca3@news.iskon.hr...

> Or that feat that gives you two
> attacks on a Spring Attack from PHB2 instead of WWA?

What feat is that?

--
^v^v^Malachias Invictus^v^v^

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishment the scroll,
I am the Master of my fate:
I am the Captain of my soul.

from _Invictus_, by William Ernest Henley
 >> Stay informed about: WotC ranger combat styles? 

"Jasin Zujovic" <jzujovic.RemoveThis@inet.hr> wrote in message
news:MPG.1f73d2b97996b5fe989ca3@news.iskon.hr...
> Are there official alternate combat styles for rangers other than
> archery and TWF?
>
> What additional combat styles, if any, do you use in your games?
>
> Do you think this is a reasonable option: Mobility at 2nd, Spring Attack
> at 6th, Whirlwind Attack at 11th? Or that feat that gives you two
> attacks on a Spring Attack from PHB2 instead of WWA?

Yes, this is reasonable. I would go with a Human Ranger though, and opt for
Spring attack at 3rd, and Whirlwind Attack at 6th, then take the PHB2 feat
ASAP after that.

Re,
Dirk
 >> Stay informed about: WotC ranger combat styles? 

In article <MPG.1f73d2b97996b5fe989ca3 RemoveThis @news.iskon.hr>,
Jasin Zujovic <jzujovic RemoveThis @inet.hr> wrote:

> Are there official alternate combat styles for rangers other than
> archery and TWF?
>
> What additional combat styles, if any, do you use in your games?
>
> Do you think this is a reasonable option: Mobility at 2nd, Spring Attack
> at 6th, Whirlwind Attack at 11th? Or that feat that gives you two
> attacks on a Spring Attack from PHB2 instead of WWA?

I include a list of alternate ranger styles from which to pick as an
alternative option, taken from Legends & Lairs _Wildscape_ and
folded into my alternate core Ranger class. Also taken from that
source, I give rangers the option to forego divine spellcasting
in exchange for continued specialization in combat or alternate
ranger style. The styles include Two-Handed Fighting, Explorer,
Lorekeeper, Outrider, Ranger Knight, Slayer, and Spear-Fighter.
Each is a progression, gaining appropriate benefits every so
many levels.

I have two Ranger PCs, both Sylvan Elves in the Forgotten Realms
(go figure ), one male and one female. The male sacrificed divine
spellcasting in exchange for continued specialization in archery.
Red Stag is currently at Ftr4/Rgr9/Wildrunner5, and has Improved
Combat Style, but the rest of the continued advances don't happen
till Rgr12 (Hail of Arrows), 14 (Sniper), 16 (Storm of Arrows), and
18 (Deadeye Shot). As long as he can keep a supply of magical
arrows, he'll be in good shape as he goes against more powerful
foes.

Happy gaming,
Eric
 >> Stay informed about: WotC ranger combat styles? 

On the grave of Jasin Zujovic <jzujovic.TakeThisOut@inet.hr> is inscribed:

>Are there official alternate combat styles for rangers other than
>archery and TWF?

None I know of

>What additional combat styles, if any, do you use in your games?

Horsey stuff. Mounted Combat, Mounted Archery, Spirited Charge,
Ride-by Attack, Trample, Animal Affinity etc to taste. This suggests a
warhorse as your companion.

>Do you think this is a reasonable option: Mobility at 2nd, Spring Attack
>at 6th, Whirlwind Attack at 11th? Or that feat that gives you two
>attacks on a Spring Attack from PHB2 instead of WWA?

Sounds OK. Except I have a general objection to the way that the
ranger forces specific feats at specific levels, when (for example)
you might take the archery track but want to take (as a human) ,PBS
and Rapid Shot at 1st level, Precise Shot at 2nd, Far Shot at 6th and
so on. Minor gripe but it's a slightly odd rule.

--
Jim or Sarah Davies, but probably Jim

D&D and Star Fleet Battles stuff on http://www.aaargh.org
 >> Stay informed about: WotC ranger combat styles? 

Jasin Zujovic wrote:
>
> Are there official alternate combat styles for rangers
> other than archery and TWF?

There were a set of them in at least one of the Dragon magazine "Class
Acts" one-page articles, but IDHTMIFOM.

> What additional combat styles, if any, do you use in
> your games?

Depends on the culture(s) from which I'm creating rangers. I tend to
think of the ranger combat styles as culture-specific, though after a
bit of interaction, they become available to any ranger.

> Do you think this is a reasonable option: Mobility at 2nd,
> Spring Attack at 6th, Whirlwind Attack at 11th? Or that
> feat that gives you two attacks on a Spring Attack from
> PHB2 instead of WWA?

I think it is, though I'd go with the PHB2 feat; seems to fit the
ranger feat progressions better to me.

--
Nik
 >> Stay informed about: WotC ranger combat styles? 

In article <ericp06-FAF106.16241814092006 DeleteThis @newsclstr02.news.prodigy.com>,
ericp06 DeleteThis @sbcglobal.net says...

> The styles include Two-Handed Fighting, Lorekeeper, Slayer

Could you tell us a bit more about these?


--
Jasin Zujovic
 >> Stay informed about: WotC ranger combat styles? 

In article <pIydnV6trNy_k5fYnZ2dnUVZ_tadnZ2d DeleteThis @comcast.com>,
capt_malachias DeleteThis @hotmail.com says...

> > Or that feat that gives you two
> > attacks on a Spring Attack from PHB2 instead of WWA?
>
> What feat is that?

Bounding Assault. Prereqs are Spring Attack (and everything before that)
and BAB +12. You get two attacks, at +0 and -5, and you get to select
two opponents you don't provoke AoOs from while moving, and the attacks
must go to those opponents (either one each, or both attacks to one
opponent).

There's another one, Rapid Blitz, that requires Bounding Assault and BAB
+18 and allows another opponent to be denied AoOs and another attack (+
0/-5/-10).


--
Jasin Zujovic
 >> Stay informed about: WotC ranger combat styles? 

Tetsubo wrote:
> DougL wrote:
>
> >Jasin Zujovic wrote:
> >
> >
> >>Are there official alternate combat styles for rangers other than
> >>archery and TWF?
> >>
> >>What additional combat styles, if any, do you use in your games?
> >>
> >>Do you think this is a reasonable option: Mobility at 2nd, Spring Attack
> >>at 6th, Whirlwind Attack at 11th? Or that feat that gives you two
> >>attacks on a Spring Attack from PHB2 instead of WWA?
> >>
> >>
> >
> >I keep meaning to introduce a couple of pure natural attack chain. It
> >strikes me as unreasonable that classed magical beasts and awakened
> >animals living in the wild can't really use ranger combat styles (which
> >are a significant part of a Ranger's power).
> >
> >Something like Improved Natural Attack (any one natural attack) at
> >level 2, Improved Grapple at level 6, and Greater Weapon Focus (any one
> >Natural Attack) at level 11.
> >
> >DougL
> >
> >
> >
> Would you be ignoring the INA BAB requirement of +4?

Yes, just like all ranger and monk feats from class advancement ignore
prerequisites.

DougL
 >> Stay informed about: WotC ranger combat styles? 

In article <MPG.1f7499a1d5ff761b989ca7 RemoveThis @news.iskon.hr>,
Jasin Zujovic <jzujovic RemoveThis @inet.hr> wrote:

> In article <ericp06-FAF106.16241814092006 RemoveThis @newsclstr02.news.prodigy.com>,
> ericp06 RemoveThis @sbcglobal.net says...
>
> > The styles include Two-Handed Fighting, Lorekeeper, Slayer
>
> Could you tell us a bit more about these?

Certainly!

Two-Handed Fighting is for those who use heavy, 2-handed weapons.
Frequently woodcutters, miners, or other frontiersment who favor
heavy tools and weapons would take this style. They focus on the
single-blow kill. Class features at various levels are:

*Two-Handed Defense (Rgr2) - swinging in wide, back-and-forth
sweeps, foes are forced back, granting the ranger a +1 dodge bonus
to AC.

* Sweeping Attack (Rgr6) - a whirling hurricane of cuts, slashes,
and hacks (so the text reads) grants the ranger the benefits of
Whirlwind Attack while using a two-handed weapon.

* Ferocious Blow (Rgr11) - wild, unbalanced attacks cleave through
foes. The Ranger may subtract from AC to a max of -5 to gain a
+2 bonus to damage per -1 penalty to AC.

Lorekeepers study flora and fauna to better understand nature.
This study lets them develop talents that other rangers might not
cultivate, such as crafting healing poultices and creating cunning
tactics against animals.

* Master Herbalist (Rgr2) - gain the Brew Potion feat. Add spells from
cleric's Healing domain to his lists.

* Healing Hands (Rgr6) - make a DC 20 Heal check to cure hp equal
to 1d6 + WIS modifier (if positive). Failure means failure to heal the
patient. Useable once per day per subject, and requires 10 minutes
of uninterrupted concentration and work. Bandages, thread, and a
needle are required. Interruption means patient gains no healing,
but ranger may try again that day.

* Lore of Beast and Blade (Rgr11) - spend a full-round action advising
allies, and they gain a +1 competence bonus on attack rolls and a +2
competence bonus on damage vs. one of the ranger's favored enemies
for the rest of the encounter. Useable three times a day.

Slayers are hunters who track enemies and dispatch them with a
well-placed attack. They study critical points in foes' anatomy. They
are somtimes bounty hunters or big-game hunters, and they keep
trophies taken from their kills. Many lean toward evil alignments(!).

* Stalker (Rgr2) - gain sneak attack as a rogue, dealing +1d6 damage,
which stacks with other sources of sneak attack damage, if any.

* Marauder (Rgr6) - sneak attack damage increases to +2d6.

* Death Dealer (Rgr11) - sneak attack damage increases to +3d6.

If you'd like details for the others, I can provide.

Happy gaming,
Eric
 >> Stay informed about: WotC ranger combat styles? 

In article <ericp06-8D9F28.13413115092006.RemoveThis@newsclstr02.news.prodigy.com>,
ericp06.RemoveThis@sbcglobal.net says...

> If you'd like details for the others, I can provide.

Well, since you offered...


--
Jasin Zujovic
 >> Stay informed about: WotC ranger combat styles?