The Goals wrote:>To reflect the ranger's 'hunter' role
>To give rangers competent versatility against non favored enemies, whilst providing them an edge as compared to other classes in the melee arta vs favored
>To give a defensive option, to counter the laughable AC of a ranger which wants to take the full advantage of his class benefits
The changes I'd propose for this are as follows:
>Rangers receive sneak attacks scaling at slower increments than Rogue. These will use the Blackguard feat, so as to minimize the impacts of Rogue multi classing, should the ranger chose to do so
>Rangers will receive foci in the Longbow and Shortbow automatically at 9th (so as to avoid AA cheese balling), allowing the class to more viably switch between Archer and melee than most classes.
>Rangers will receive the Barbarian Movement Speed feat at 10th. At this point, multi classing it with Barbarian is an unlikely choice anyway, and this allows rangers to more appropriately kite.
>Rangers wearing Light Armor will receive a bonus AC scaling to their level/6 (ending at +5 at 30th). Against their favored enemy, this improves slightly; becoming their level/5 instead. This allows a ranger to be level to Fighter builds versus favored foes, while still providing Fighters a niche versus everything else.
>Rangers will receive gradual bonuses versus their favored enemy unto epics, to simulate the feats which are given PnP that enable such; including a +d4 damage roll every 8 levels, and a hard AB bonus versus them every 4. This makes a ranger more effective than a Weaponmaster versus their favored enemy.
>The Ranger gains Uncanny Dodge independently at level 16
To show that mechanically, assume a ranger with 26 STR. We'll say two, really - one ranger that goes 21/3/6, and one that pure classes
AB at 30th is 25+8+6 (assume gear and buffs)=39 before foci and prowess, 43 after.
AC at 30th is 3+5 (dexmod after buffs)+3+10+1 if - and we'll say they do - you go full gear for AC=24 before any bonuses in mundane shield and hide armor
After the bonuses, the pure class ranger now has 29 AC vs non favored, and 30 AC vs favored.
The non pure ranger now has 32 AC vs non, and 33 vs favored. This is, mind you, before counting the Addyshield and helm's bonuses - which total the rangers to 36 and 39 AC (vs favored foes) respectively
Additionally, the ranger will now get an AB of 31 with a bow assuming their Dex is buffed to the above standard; which isn't even remotely overpowered, but allows a second option if you catch someone flatfooted
In terms of output: The pure ranger gets an additional 3d4 against their favored enemy; whilst the multi class ranger 'still' gets an additional 2d4, but is stronger independently anyway - since they lack a companion to make up for their strength and shucked versatility.
Your pure class ranger will get sneaks every 5 levels, totaling to 6d6 at 30th, while the non pure one manages 5d6 between rogue and ranger
Lastly, and more crucially; the above ranger's AC is incapable of being flatfooted.; and the ranger can actually kite, allowing them to be a 'hunter'