Missing Ranger Abilities

[Turial]

Currently rangers are missing the following abilities and a few may not be implemented. How would you like to see them done?

Level 1 Tracking
To find tracks or to follow them for 1 mile requires a successful survival check.

Level 7 Woodland Stride
Starting at 7th level, a ranger 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.

Level 8 Swift Tracker
Beginning at 8th level, a ranger can move at his normal speed while following tracks 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.

Level 13 Camoflage
A ranger of 13th level or higher can use the hide skill in any sort of natural terrain, even if the terrain doesn’t grant cover or concealment.

Level 17 Hide in Plain Sight
While in any sort of natural terrain, a ranger of 17th level or higher can use the hide skill even while being observed.

Personally I would like to see something like this:

Level 1 Tracking:
Provides a bonus to the spot skill. True tracking would require mobs to always be spawned which we know doesn't occur.

Level 7 Surefooted Stride:
Reduces the slowing effects of natural terrain (ice) and some magical spells that resemble natural event (solid fog, Ice storm, the other sleet one that everyone hates) by half.

Level 8 Improved Tracking:
Increases the rangers tracking bonus to spot and provides a bonus to listen checks.

Level 13 Camoflage:
Provides a bonus to the rangers hide skill.

Level 17 Hide in Plain Sight:
Allows a ranger who has been spotted by a monster to hide. In doing so the monster must make a new spot check to find the ranger as if they had never spotted him in the first place. (Would be a really nice thing for those that stayed pure for 17 levels)

Post your ideas rangers and comment on mine as you see fit.

[5footStep]

hrm... tracking .. I love tracking in pen and paper but don't see how it will crossover very well to how DDO is now. Mainly because 1. you can use the map to find your party members. 2. Quests aren't very variable when it comes to mob spawns

undergrowth.. nothing really environment wise slows your movement now except water.

The one I do like and always thought that would be cool is Hiding in Plain sight. However the way combat progresses with this game vs. PnP... by the time I would be done with HIPS.. the mob would most likely be dead from the barbarian planting a greataxe in his skull. If it was something that was a passive skill rather than a toggle skill.. now THAT would be awesome.. Passive Hips and camo. mmmmm

[lasra]

Love the hide bonus ideas, especially the lev 17 one.

Tracking could be implemented by making more quests like *shudder* The Pit, where the map is completely useless. Ranger types with tracking could have an on-screen icon/arrow that would effectively point them in the right direction? Probably a lot of wishful thinking on this one, but anything to make The Pit more easy to navigate would get no argument from me.

It would probably be easier to grant permanent FoM to higher level rangers, since they are supposed to be able to move normally in natural environments, and considering that most ranger builds have high dex anyway it makes sense that they should not be affected by natural slowing spells, like Sleet Storm and Solid Fog. Would that translate accurately from PnP? I have been away from the core rules for ages.

[kensihin_Himura]

Oh jeez, would have to go for an animal companion. Dont really care if he does nothing, just want one to be around for the fun of it.

[Mad_Bombardier]

Oh jeez, would have to go for an animal companion. Dont really care if he does nothing, just want one to be around for the fun of it.

All they'd really have to do is change Summon Nature's Ally to a x/rest clicky ability with no SP cost.

[QuantumFX]

undergrowth.. nothing really environment wise slows your movement now except water.

Well... If including the frozen version in that statement then I can agree with you. Otherwise including "natural" ice areas would be a worthwile ability. (ex. White Dragon Lair, Tomb of the unhallowed, Glacial abyss)

[Turial]

All they'd really have to do is change Summon Nature's Ally to a x/rest clicky ability with no SP cost.

The thing is though that a rangers animal companion is a lot more durable and powerful when compared to the summons. You have increases to base natural armor, str and dex increases, and the ability to share spells.

[Turial]

Well... If including the frozen version in that statement then I can agree with you. Otherwise including "natural" ice areas would be a worthwile ability. (ex. White Dragon Lair, Tomb of the unhallowed, Glacial abyss)

My example of turning woodland stride into surefooted stride touched on a reduction to the slow effect of natural areas like ice.