Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Shadowslayer 03-08-04, 03:43 AM	Just wondering if anybody out there has done the math and is seeing something I'm not. Looking at the Urban Ranger, it's a great variant (not new, but certainly something I would use in my campaign). Unfortunately, there seems to be too many things he loses and too few things to gain. For instance: Limited in choice of animal companion (may not have one larger than Medium). Wild Empathy (may add only one-half his class level). Favored Enemy (vs. organizations - not a big deal, unless the campaign doesn't feature many). Loses Woodland Stride. Loses Camouflage. Gains the ability to use Hide in Plain Sight in any setting. No Hit Die change, no skill point change, no change in # of class skills... Other than the change to the Hide in Plain Sight ability (which is minimal), the other changes are either straight trade-offs (like the Track feat becoming Urban Tracking), watered down (Wild Empathy, Animal Companion), or flat-out losses (Woodland Stride and Camouflage). Now, I understand the campaign and style considerations and I don't argue the fact that an Urban Ranger doesn't need a crocodile for an animal companion, nor does he need the Woodland Stride ability, etc... However, it does seem to me like a character taking this variant loses more than he gains. Does anybody agree? Can anybody explain?
Ancient Wyrm 03-08-04, 02:47 PM	The urban ranger I made before Unearthed Arcana looked much, much different. I replaced Animal Empathy with "Urban Knowledge," a sort of Bardic Knowledge but more criminal and less historical. The urban ranger knows, or can find easily enough, the best fences in town, for example. He also lost all his wilderness skills, like Knowledge (nature), Survival, etc., and gained the social skills (Diplomacy, Gather Information). And his spell list closely resembled the first four levels of a bard's. I do like Urban Tracking. It's much better than the Shadow feat and ability in Masters of the Wild.
Shadowslayer 03-08-04, 04:12 PM	I really liked Urban Tracking as well. A very cool variation on a standard ranger ability. I was pleased to see that they changed some of his class skills as well (lose Knowledge: nature, Knowledge: dungeoneering, and Survival; added Gather Info, Knowledge: local, and Sense Motive). In fact, most of the changes seem well thought out and applicable to the concept of the class. It just seems that they removed what are some key features of the ranger (and not necessary for the Urban Ranger), but forgot to add anything to counterbalance the loss. Some alternative Combat Styles more appropriate to the city would've been nice too.
Lord Schpungus 03-08-04, 04:39 PM	Have you looked at the spell list additions? They're quite a bit better for urban gaming. Knock, Invisibility, and True Seeing, especially, are great and powerful additions to his spell list.
Shadowslayer 03-08-04, 06:21 PM	I did notice that, but thanks for pointing it out. The reason I didn't mention it above is because the spell list is appropriate for an urban ranger, just as the standard ranger's spell list is appropriate for a wilderness dweller. I didn't notice that it was much more powerful (given that both spell lists are tailored to the intended environment). So I don't know that a spell-wielding urban ranger is any more powerful in the city than a spell-wielding ranger is in the wilderness. The exchange seemed fairly balanced to me, so I didn't include it in the list. Of course, I haven't compared it in-depth, so if I'm really missing something (and the spell exchange is really significant), please let me know. Assuming though, that the urban ranger is getting a bit shortchanged, what would y'all consider appropriate 'fixes'?
caeruleus 03-08-04, 06:58 PM	In a recent issue of Dragon (316 or 317, I think), they present the Urban Druid. One feature that this class gets to replace woodland stride is called something like crowdwalk. It basically allows them to walk through crowded places without slowing down. Perhaps you can give this to the Urban Ranger also. Draco Caeruleus
Shadowslayer 03-08-04, 09:27 PM	You're right - issue 317. I'd noticed the article, but completely forgot about it; thanks! Yeah, the crowdwalk ability seems perfect for the Urban Ranger - simply handing back an ability that was taken, but adjusting it to make it appropriate. The favored city ability mentioned in the article would make good sense too. I don't use many organizations in my games, so the variant suggested in UA wouldn't have done much for a character in my world, but the favored city ability is another take on the favored environment variant presented on page 65 of UA. Thanks, caeruleus - that's a big help.
caeruleus 03-08-04, 10:56 PM	Originally posted by Shadowslayer Thanks, caeruleus - that's a big help. No problem, I'm glad that was helpful. :) Draco
bradjob 03-08-04, 11:39 PM	Instead of just cutting Camaflage, I replaced it with "Blend In". It works like Camo, but the bonus applies to when your hiding in a crowd. (I posted my own varient to Woodland Stride, but "Crowd Walking" is much better.)
Shadowslayer 03-09-04, 01:18 AM	Not a bad idea. It didn't really make sense to me to hand out Hide in Plain Sight, but say that Camouflage is off limits. 'Blend In' sounds appropriate; I would probably rule that it could be used in any urban setting, since a DM might assign a cover percentage when in a dense crowd anyway. 'Blending in' could just be appearing to belong in the setting - a similar function of Hide. Thanks.