Smite thine Enemies...

[Everyman]

Hello, everyone.

In a coming campaign, one of my friends wants to play a slayer-esque character, with an emphasis on hunting the undead. He likes the favored enemy approach to the fighting, but he does not want the combat mastery tree or animal companion abilities (it really doesn't fit or help his character). As such, I was wondering if the following variant would work:

Ranger Variant
You've dedicated yourself solely to the art of hunting your foes, as the expense of mastering combat style and your connection to nature.
Lose: Combat Style, Improved Combat Style, Combat Style Mastery, Animal Companion
Gain: Smite Enemy ability (works as Smite Evil, but applies only to favored enemies)

What do you guys think? I'm afriad that this may still be a bit strong, so I might give up the wild empathy ability as well.

[ishi]

Definitely too much given up. Effectively 3 feats and Animal Companion for a few smitings a day. You could throw in some more undead-fighting abilities without overpowering it. If a little bit of "divine" flavor is acceptable, even turn undead wouldn't be too strong.

[YPU]

I don’t think it would be that powerful, combat styles always are in effect, and you don’t need to meet the prerequisites. An animal companion is quite strong and can be a very big tactical advantage. Smite evil isn’t that strong, true strike and power attack do the same but better. So yes, its quite possible, really not that overpowered in my opinion.

[Everyman]

Hmm...so if I kept the animal companion, that would keep the power level in line?

Eh...I just don't know. I am aware that Smite only works X times per day, but rangers are already getting a damage bonus due to favored enemy. It just seems like the combined bonuses are a bit too strong, hence the loss of animal companion. Of course, if you can only smite X times per day, then the uber-pwnage that I fear is inherent in the design really is restricted.

Alright. Let's try out the animal companion with the build via playtesting. If it doesn't work, I'ma leave it out.

[Dicemaster]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but...
Precision damage does not work on undeads. Thus, Favored Enemy pretty much becomes useless (or, at least, a lot weaker).
I suggest adding Detect Undead at will, Turn Undead and some spells from the Paladin's list.
A Lantern Archon companion would be cool too, but that's maybe too much.

[ilovefire]

Here's a suggestion. At first level, they gain Smite Foe as a paladin's Smite Evil, which increases at the same rate as a paladin's Smite Evil. At level three, they gain Turn Foe, which allows them to turn and destory their favoured enemies. They turn at a level equal to their ranger level-3. In turn, you give up your animal companion and your combat styles.

[TheOOB]

Rangers Favored enemy bonus damage isn't percision damage, it's bonus damage so it even works agienst enemies immue to crits.

That said the smite enemy variet is horribly underpowering. Even at 20th level +20 damage 5 times a day is nothing, and the condition for your ranger vairent is even more restrictive then the paladin version of the ability.

[Everyman]

See, this is what I get for trying to merge a class into ranger that I never play.

Turning a foe is kinda nifty sounding, but doesn't make sense for a slayer (he won't be channelling positive or negative energy). However, a "Detect Foe" effect fits the hunter/slayer archetype. Even with that, I'm not sure if the build is meeting the power curve.
...
Wait a moment. I just remembered that there is a undead hunter variant in one of the various books Wizards has produced. I want to say its in the DMG (where it describes building your own classes/PrCs), but I'm not sure.

Can anyone verify this? If so, would that variant work?

[Dicemaster]

DMG p.175.

Oh, and TheOOB is right. Since 3.5, FE bonus isn't precision damage.

[YPU]

the dmg thing:
weapon selection is same as rouge.
favored enemy only against undead, improves by 2 every 5 levels.
a rouges sneak atack but only works against undead.
change spell list so that it only has spells that deal with undead.
smite evil at lvl 3 only against undead.
im not that sure this would be very good, but it doesnt seem to say anything about loosing animal companion or weapon style. that would make it overpowerd i think, good BAB hd8 sneak atack and smite that would be to good i think.

[Fax Celestis]

There is also the Hunter of the Dead PrC in CWar (I think). Might be in CAdv.

[knightsaline]

There is also the Hunter of the Dead PrC in CWar (I think). Might be in CAdv.

its in Cwar, just for the record, and all anyone thinks of when someone says Cwar is the samurai class

[Triaxx]

I'd say cut out Animal Companion, Improved Combat Style, and Combat Style Mastery. In exchange, the Ranger recieves:

Smite Foe
Effect: Once per day, per two levels starting at level 2, a Ranger may add damage equal to his dexterity bonus for Melee weapons, and damage equal to his strength bonus for ranged weapons, excepting crossbows. Non-magical ranged weapons shatter when a critical Smite Foe attack occurs, except slings.