Erebannien Ranger

[Angelbialaska]

This are just a bit of rewriting of one of the Prestige Classes in Dragon 307, but I still feel that it would fit well with Cerilia and the Birthright setting.

Erebannien Ranger
The Erebannien Rangers are an elite unit of Rangers that service Aerenwe and those living within the Erebannien. A unit of Rangers are a very dangerous foe to meet on the battlefield and one on one the Rangers are no less powerful. They are often found either alone or in small parties, serving as a scouts, woodland spies and at times also hunters of the creatures that are disturbing the peace of the Erebannien.
Most Erebannien Rangers are classed as Rangers, but there are also a minority consisting of Rogues and Fighters. In addition some Nobles find an escape from the courtly life within the Erebannien.

Prerequisites:
Alignment: NG, LN, N
Realm: Aerenwe
Base Attack Bonus: +5
Hide: 3 ranks
Listen: 3 ranks
Move silently: 3 ranks
Search: 3 ranks
Spot: 3 ranks
Survival: 4 ranks
Feats: Alertness, Track
Special: Must be invited into the Erebannien Rangers by other members. This usually happens after the candidate has been under surveilance for at least 3 months.

Class skills: Climb, Jump, Swim, Hide, Move silently, Ride, Tumble, Use Rope, Craft (Any), Knowledge (Nature), Knowledge (Local: Aerenwe), Search, Heal, Listen, Spot, Handle Animal, Survival
Skill points at each level: 6 + int modifier

Level: Base attack Fortitude Reflex Will Special
1st level: +1 +0 +2 +0 Erebannien Tie, Wild Empathy
2nd level: +2 +0 +3 +0 Pride of Purpose
3rd level: +3 +1 +3 +1 Forester
4th level: +4 +1 +4 +1 Master of the Erebannien
5th level: +5 +1 +4 +1 Voices of the Erebannien


Erebannien Ranger class features:
Weapons and armor proficiencies: An Erebannien Ranger is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with light armor.
Erebannien Tie (Ex): The Rangers are well-known in all of the Erebannien and they are seen as champions and defenders of the common populace from all evil. They have a +4 circumstance bonus on diplomacy checks involving people living in the Erebannien and in addition to this, they can expect to get as much aid as the common populace can give. For instance a Ranger will almost always get a free meal and a spot to sleep at night when entering a new city.
Wild Empathy (Ex): As the Ranger ability. If the character gains this feature from another class, the classes stack for all purposes.
Pride of Purpose (Ex): The Erebannian Rangers are so commited to the Erebannien that they are very hard to shake and scare. As long they are within Erebannien's borders or they are fighting outside the forest to protect the forest they gains a +2 circumstance bonus on will saves against fear (magical and otherwise) and other mind affecting spells and effects.
Forester (Ex): The Erebannien Ranger is almost constantly moving through the forest, learning everything about the forest that she has chosen as her home. She has a +2 competence bonus to survival checks and a +2 circumstance bonus to all track checks within the forest. In addition to this the Ranger is so adept at surviving in the Erebannien that she may take 10 on all survival and track checks (as Rogue ability Skill Mastery).
Master of the Erebannien (Ex): Beginning at 4th level, an Erebannien Ranger can move at his normal speed while following tracks within the Erebannien without taking the normal –5 penalty. He takes only a –10 penalty (instead of the normal –20) when moving at up to twice normal speed while tracking. In addition a Master of the Erebannien may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at his normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that are enchanted or magically manipulated to impede motion still affect him. The Master of the Erebannien may do these things only in the Erebannien, not in any other areas.
Voices of the Erebannien (Su): At 5th level the Erebannien Ranger has become so attuned to the forest and the magic that flows within, that they develop an ability to speak with animals. This power is continiously as long as the character stays in a province with at least 1 source level, whether it's claimed or not. Provinces with 0 potential disables the power.

[Danip]

Perhaps more than 3 ranks of survival should be required. For a fifth level character 3 is almost nothing. The Erebannien is one of the few places in Anuire that has no settlements and could be called primal wilderness. Its not RV camping it is roughing it.

The rogue abilities seem a little densely packed. That fourth level is a great level. Almost as good as two rogue levels. Are the rogue abilities needed for this five level progression? Thematically they dont fit well, IMO.
Perhaps a pass without a trace kind of ability or hide in plain site would match their elusiveness better. In the atlas write-up, IIRC, there was a time when people thought they didnt exist anymore. Very secretive folk. h34r:

Also, are the Erebannien rangers that neutral? Didnt they rise up and help the current Queen into power? That seems political.

[The incredible, edible Phil]

The Rangers of the Erebannien really are just rangers although with a bit more of a focus than most. I'm not sure if they need a whole prestige class at all. I do suspect this PrC was modified from the Master of the Yuirwood (page 24 of Unapproachable East).

However if a prestige class is to be made, wouldn't it be better to grant its unique abilities that truly focus on the erebannien and aerenwe in particular? Assuming the fastest progression would be a level 5 ranger, the abilities can build from there while adding class features more in tune with their stated duty. The Master of the Yuirwood is very much a ranger class (although remove the favored enemy aspect) and is centered on the Work Menhir Circle class feature (in brief it allows the character to activate the menhir circles in the Yuirwood that act as portals).

[Midnight]

There should be a Prestige Class for An Erebannien Ranger. They have been around forever and they would devlope over time traits special to the Erebannien uncommon to the Ranger class, there are so many prestige class of shoots of all other classes, it always erked me that there are so few for rangers, If ever there should be a prestige class i think the Erebannien rangers deserve one.
Angelbialaska I would take phil's sugestion and have them realy focus on the Erebannien, If you want to take the time to hash it out.

[The incredible, edible Phil]

The best way to go about creating a prestige class is figuring out what would make the class all that special or different than a standard class or combination of classes. In this case, what would these rangers have or how would they be different than regular rangers?

I have two concepts that come to mind. The first is as a protector of not only the forest but the people that reside there. Characters could be able to call upon the commonfolk for shelter or any other reasonable aid without much fuss.

The second is that the Erebanien is one of the last places in Anuire where mebhaigl still runs strong and the rangers have found a way to tap the sources and leylines of the land.

[Angelbialaska]

Originally posted by The incredible, edible Phil@Feb 1 2005, 07:26 AM
The Rangers of the Erebannien really are just rangers although with a bit more of a focus than most. I'm not sure if they need a whole prestige class at all. I do suspect this PrC was modified from the Master of the Yuirwood (page 24 of Unapproachable East).

However if a prestige class is to be made, wouldn't it be better to grant its unique abilities that truly focus on the erebannien and aerenwe in particular? Assuming the fastest progression would be a level 5 ranger, the abilities can build from there while adding class features more in tune with their stated duty. The Master of the Yuirwood is very much a ranger class (although remove the favored enemy aspect) and is centered on the Work Menhir Circle class feature (in brief it allows the character to activate the menhir circles in the Yuirwood that act as portals).

Actually this class is a modified Royal Scout of Cormyr from Dragon 307. I'm pretty sure that I started out saying that.

[irdeggman]

I think that Search is a very likely class skill for this class. 5 ranks in search adds a +2 bonus to track.

I agree with the general the fact that this prestige class doesn’t have the focus it should. I would indeed focus on making it a protector of the Erebannien – that is pretty much what the context they have been put in whenever mentioned in 2nd ed material. There are also more than a few half-elves amongst their number (again per the 2nd ed material). These things combined make them greatly unlikely to be messengers throughout Anuire.

I would tie in most of the abilities to only functioning while in the Erebannien due to familiarity with the land there. Doing this, they could in fact be pumped up in power to balance the restriction.

Ariadne introduced a messenger oriented prestige class already (Minister of Love) which IMO is more appropriate for a universally accepted messenger.

[Angelbialaska]

Okay, the initial post have been edited, and the Erebannien Ranger has been altered to being very specialized in their forest.

[The incredible, edible Phil]

Originally posted by Angelbialaska+Feb 1 2005, 09:26 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Angelbialaska &#064; Feb 1 2005, 09:26 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-The incredible@ edible Phil,Feb 1 2005, 07:26 AM
The Rangers of the Erebannien really are just rangers although with a bit more of a focus than most. I&#39;m not sure if they need a whole prestige class at all. I do suspect this PrC was modified from the Master of the Yuirwood (page 24 of Unapproachable East).

However if a prestige class is to be made, wouldn&#39;t it be better to grant its unique abilities that truly focus on the erebannien and aerenwe in particular? Assuming the fastest progression would be a level 5 ranger, the abilities can build from there while adding class features more in tune with their stated duty. The Master of the Yuirwood is very much a ranger class (although remove the favored enemy aspect) and is centered on the Work Menhir Circle class feature (in brief it allows the character to activate the menhir circles in the Yuirwood that act as portals).

Actually this class is a modified Royal Scout of Cormyr from Dragon 307. I&#39;m pretty sure that I started out saying that. [/b][/quote]
Actually you didn&#39;t, but it doesn&#39;t matter

[Osprey]

Interesting stuff, but I can&#39;t help feeling that the class is rather weak compared to the 3.5 ranger core class.

For starters, perhaps make the class&#39;s saving throw progression match (high Fort and Ref).

Why not make a level-dependent ability the basic benefit of the class, similar to the favored terrain of foresters?
For Example:
Protector of the Erebannien: At 1st level a Ranger of the Erebannien begins to gain a close familiarity with the forest he has sworn to protect, and develops a strong, friendly relationship to the good folk of the forest. Whenever he is within the Erebannien&#39;s boundaries, he gains a circumstance bonus equal to his Ranger of the Erebannien class level to any Diplomacy, Gather Information, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Spot, and Survival checks made within the forest&#39;s boundaries. The Ranger also gains this bonus whenever a Knowledge check is made regarding lore about the Erebannien.

Here is a class ability that demonstrates a real advantage of specialization: a Ranger of the Erebannien, especially an advanced one, is extremely competent within his chosen territory, but outside of it he&#39;ll be out-competed by a straight ranger.

In adding this ability, you could drop Forester and Erebannien Tie abilities, as the effects of this one (potent) ability supercede the relatively minor effects of these. Or just make Forester the ability to take 10 on all Survival checks (these would include tracking checks by default) within the Erebannien.

Master of the Erebannien: Might it not suffice to say that at 4th level the character gains the Woodland Stride and Fast Tracker abilities (as per the Ranger class feature) while within the Erebannien&#39;s borders?

Voices of the Erebannien: How about the ability to cast Commune with Nature 1/day within the Erebannien? This seems like a better overall representation of the character&#39;s ability to hear the voices of the forest as a whole.

Finally: coupled with Animal Empathy, might it be possible that Ranger of the Erebannien levels stack with core Ranger levels for animal companion and spellcasting progression (caster level and spells per day)? This would help emphasize the mebhaighal-rich and mystical qualities of the Erebannien and those who serve her, don&#39;t you think? Also, it would then increase the character&#39;s ability to cast Speak with Animals if the 5th level ability becomes Commune with Nature. This might sound powerful, but I&#39;ve seen similar effects for other prestige classes in the Complete... handbooks (such as monk-based PrC&#39;s).

Osprey