On 4e Rangers

I remember when 4e Dungeons and Dragons was announced, and they told us how they were doings things (power sources, 4 roles). I looked to Martial Striker and smiled. Look, me, here is the guy who deals damage by being purely awesome. This is gotta be the Rogue. That is sneak attack to a T. Wait, Rangers? Well ... ok.

I also remember picking up my first DnD book ever, the Ravenloft Domains and Dread book for AD&D 2nd edition. And seeing the great Defenders of the Woods, the Ranger! How has this great hero archetype, created for Strider from the Lord of the Rings, been reduced to a not-quite-as-cool-as-a-Warlock clone?

Let me break it down for you.

2nd Edition Rangers // 4e Rangers
- Class Grouping/Power Source: Warriors // Martial
So far so good. This is the same class so far.

- Statistics: Strength, Dexterity, Wisdom // Strength, Dexterity, Wisdom
Wow, still the same. This is exciting.

- Alignment: Only Good // Any
Wait a minute, our first snag. Rangers are warriors of good, not bidden by ethics, just morality in 2nd Edition. Where is that flavor in 4e? Well, as a general rule, 4e didn't want alignment forced on anyone (Paladin, I'm pointing at you). So I guess that is cool. Well, not cool, but adequate.

- Armor: Class abilities work in leather or lighter // Cloth, Leather, Hide
Ok, ok, I'm good with this. This is still the same.

- Weapons: Two weapon fighting and archery // Two weapon fighting OR archery
Huh? So you mean I have to pick? And if I have high strength, it doesn't benefit my archery? And if I have high Dex, it doesn't benefit two weaponf ighting? And I can use crossbows? So, instead of being versitle, and a fighting force, I have to pick my role. ::sigh:: ok, this is still just kinda the ideas that 4e wants, so I guess I'm cool with it. Let's keep going.

- Magic: Starts at level 8, and is Divine // None.
Ok, hold up. Not only do I have to pick what I'm good with, I don't get magic anymore? Rangers have always had magic. That's their schtick. They even have a specific magic school: Ranger Magic! What's up with this? I understand that Encounter Powers and Dailies are supposed to give the effect of spells to non-spellcasters. TOO BAD RANGERS ARE FUCKING SPELLCASTERS! ... Let's continue.

- Tracking: Free Tracking Proficency // Free Skill Training in Dungeoneering or Nature.
Ok, this seems fine and dandy ... until you realize once again, I have to pick what I'm good at tracking. Rangers used to be able to find tracks ANYWHERE! FOR FREE! Now I gotta pick. Ok. Let's just call it customization and leave it at that. Next.

- Stealth: Upgrading Percentiles to 99% // Stealth is class skill.
Ok, this is a fundamental problem. Now, because of customization or whatever, Rangers are no longer the stealth machines in the woods they were. They no longer act like protective panthers, hunting their quarry and then jumping down with two daggers, or shooting it from up in a tree. You gotta waste Class Skills on it. I know what your thinking: Justin, you're being a douche. Why are you trying to compare things like that? They are Class Skills for a reason.

Ok, fine. Let's take a look at skills:
Skills: Free Tracking Proficiency, Free Percentile Hide in Shadows and Move Silently, Proficiencies equal to your Int bonus // Nature or Dungeoneering for free, then pick 4 from Acrobatics, Athletics, Dungeoneering, Endurance, Heal, Nature, Perception, Stealth.

What happened to Bowyer/Fletcher? What happened to simple Cooking? Not important to combat so removed from the class options? This is absurd ... Let's go on.

Extra damage: Special Enemies // Hunter's Quarry
So ... instead of just dealing extra damage to all orcs, goblins, cats, ghosts, whatever ... I deal extra damage to one guy on the battlefield ... the closest one to me on the battlefield, and it doesn't matter which one. I guess this is the ability that made Wizards think that Rangers were Strikers. Yeah, that extra 2 damage REALLY is equivalent to Backstab. Oops, I mean Sneak Attack. And to make it worse, look at fucking Warlocks! They get magic, cool effects from their curse, even though it is mechanically the same thing as Quarry but BETTER, AND THEY FUCKING GET SHADOW WALK?! RANGERS DO FUCKING SHADOW WALK! THAT IS WHAT THEY DID! 99% of the Time, they hide and were silently 100% of the time!

Animal Empathy: Changes Reaction rolls with animals // Zilch
Fuck this. Now, instead of a group of wild animals coming on the party and the Ranger stepping forward to change they animal's reactions from snarling to purring, they step forward to get +1 to attack and shoot an arrow at it. What the fuck is that?!

Non-damage, non-magic abilities: Cure Lycanthropy // Zilch
Fuck this.

Oh, and with the Martial Power book, they are bringing about Tempest Fighters. That's right one of the best built classes, and a very cool one, is going to start DOING TWF BETTER THAN RANGERS?! WHAT THE HELL?

The only hope I have for this class as it was is whatever the Primal Defender or Leader is. Perhaps called Warden. But until then, the Ranger has been screwed. It is now a flavor-less filler that I wish they had waited on. The only reason it is even IN core is because they needs a martial ranged user, and they didn't want Marking to be ranged.