CHAPTER 1 : NATURE'S LORE
so they don't make noise. Thus, favored enemy bonuses are all but useless against undead unless you're using the variant rules below. Vermin : This category is a moderately good choice. A lot of monstrous spiders and centipedes live out there, and even though your ranger won't be bluffing them, every bit of extra damage helps .
Variant Favored Enemy Rules
Some favored enemy choices have significantly less utility than others-namely outsiders and those types that are immune to critical hits. The variant rules presented here make these choices more appealing . As with all vari ant rules, a player wishing to utilize these must first get the DM's consent . Variant Intimidation Favoring Subtypes of outsiders : In this Rules variant, the ranger can choose a subtype ofoutIt's an unfortunate fact that the sider as a favored enemy. The available options barbarian, regardless of his are air, chaotic, earth, evil, fire, good, lawful, might, can still fail to intimidate water, and no subtype . A ranger who chooses foes who are cowed by the stylchaotic outsiders, for example, gains favored ish bard or the magnetic sorenemy bonuses against chaos beasts, demons, cerer . The two optional rules djinn, ghaeles (a type of celestial), lillends, presented here are designed to slaadi, and titans, whereas one who chooses make the barbarian a bit more outsiders with no subtype gains bonuses frightening . These rules work whether the barbarian is raging against aasimars, half-celestials, half-fiends, or not, though rage does injann, ravids, and tieflings . When choosing crease their effectiveness . among these options, consider your ranger's Raging Intimidation: A raging alignment and the conditions in which he norbarbarian gains a +4 bonus to mally adventures. both his Strength and his ConstiFavoring Subraces of Your Own Race: A tution scores . This variant also good or neutral ranger cannot select his own grants him a +4 morale bonus race as a favored enemy, but his enemies can, on his Intimidate checks . After which is disconcerting. In this variant, a ranger all, when a barbarian begins to can select a subrace ofhis own race as a favored scream and froth at the mouth, enemy. Generally, the DM should allow this just about anyone is a little more only when it corresponds to deep divisions likely to do what he says. within that race. For example, a high elf could Intimidation through select drow, but not gray elves. Similarly, hill Strength : Sometimes it's approdwarves might select derro or duergar, but not priate to change the key ability score of a particular skill . While deep dwarves . Half-orcs (especially if raised Intimidation is usually a funcamong humans) could choose orcs. This varition of Charisma, this rule ant also allows the ranger to choose others of allows the barbarian to apply his own race who come from a hostile country his Strength modifier rather as a favored enemy. than his Charisma modifier to Defensive Favored Enemy Bonuses : A intimidate checks . This asranger using this variant gains his favored sumes, of course, that he acenemybonus on Hide and Move Silently checks companies such attempts with instead of on damage, Bluff checks, and Sense appropriate displays of might, Motive checks against a particular favored such as breaking objects or enemy. Also, he can use his favored enemy showing off impressive musbonus as a dodge bonus as if using the Dodge cles. A barbarian who is raging feat. (That is, each round he must designate one is even better at intimidation favored enemy opponent against whom the AC because of his increased bonus applies, and he gains no bonus when flatStrength score . footed.) The ranger retains his other bonuses on Listen, Spot, and Wilderness Lore checks. Once you choose this option for a particular favored enemy, you may not reverse the decision.This variant is recommended for rangers who choose constructs, elementals, oozes, plants, or undead as favored enemies, though other members of the class may find it useful as well.
"He just sat there, downing poison pepper after poison pepper. Each ofhis challengers would pop one pepper and then leave on a Stretcher." -A town crier's description of Krusk The first section ofthis chapter details new ways of using some of the skills listed in the Player's Handbook . The second section presents a number of new feats designed with barbarians, druids, and rangers in mind-though, of course, any character who qualifies can take them.
NEW WAYS TO USE SKILLS
New ways to use the Handle Animal, Hide, and Wilderness Lore skills are discussed below, as well as variant rules for using the Intimidate skill .
Handle Animal
Once you have befriended an animal, you might want to train it before taking it into dangerous adventuring situations with you . Teaching an animal a trick requires two months and a successful Handle Animal check (DC 15). If the creature is your animal companion, a +2 circumstance bonus applies to the check. This represents the animal's unusual degree of loyalty and willingness to cooperate .
New Tricks
See the Animal Companions sidebar in Chapter 2 of the DUNGEON MASTER'S Guide for the basic list oftricks animals can learn. Several additional tricks are detailed below. Armor: The animal is willing to accept the burden of armor. Assist Attach : The animal aids your attack or that of another creature as a standard action. You must designate both the recipient of the aid and a specific opponent . The animal makes one attack roll per round it is assisting. If it hits AC 10, the creature it is aiding gains a +2 circumstance bonus on attack rolls against the designated opponent until the animal's next turn. Assist Defend: The animal aids your defense or that of another creature as a standard action. You must designate both the recipient ofthe aid and a specific opponent. The animal makes one attack roll per round it is assisting . If it hits AC 10, the creature it is aiding gains a +2 circumstance bonus to AC against the designated opponent until the animal's next turn. Assist Track: The animal aids your attempt to track. If its Wilderness Lore check (DC 10) succeeds, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus on Wilderness Lore checks made for tracking. Calm: This trick lets an animal deal with dungeon environments. It becomes willing to move through or rest quietly in darkness, to skirt ledges around pits, and to climb up slanted passages and staircases . When the situation requires it, the animal even allows itself to be har-
