Hide

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

Variant Intimidation Rules It's an unfortunate fact that the barbarian, regardless of his might, can still fail to intimidate foes who are cowed by the stylish bard or the magnetic sorcerer . The two optional rules presented here are designed to make the barbarian a bit more frightening . These rules work whether the barbarian is raging or not, though rage does increase their effectiveness .

Raging Intimidation : A raging barbarian gains a +4 bonus to both his Strength and his Constitution scores . This variant also grants him a +4 morale bonus on his Intimidate checks . After all, when a barbarian begins to scream and froth at the mouth, just about anyone is a little more likely to do what he says .

Intimidation through Strength : Sometimes it's appropriate to change the key ability score of a particular skill . While Intimidation is usually a function of Charisma, this rule allows the barbarian to apply his Strength modifier rather than his Charisma modifier to intimidate checks . This assumes, of course, that he accompanies such attempts with appropriate displays of might, such as breaking objects or showing off impressive muscles . A barbarian who is raging is even better at intimidation because of his increased Strength score . 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 . Favoring Subtypes of outsiders : In this variant, the ranger can choose a subtype of outsider as a favored enemy . The available options are air, chaotic, earth, evil, fire, good, lawful, water, and no subtype . A ranger who chooses chaotic outsiders, for example, gains favored enemy bonuses against chaos beasts, demons, djinn, ghaeles (a type of celestial), lillends, slaadi, and titans, whereas one who chooses outsiders with no subtype gains bonuses against aasimars, half-celestials, half-fiends, jann, ravids, and tieflings . When choosing among these options, consider your ranger's alignment and the conditions in which he normally adventures. Favoring Subraces of Your Own Race: A good or neutral ranger cannot select his own race as a favored enemy, but his enemies can, which is disconcerting. In this variant, a ranger can select a subrace of his own race as a favored enemy. Generally, the DM should allow this only when it corresponds to deep divisions within that race. For example, a high elf could select drow, but not gray elves . Similarly, hill dwarves might select derro or duergar, but not deep dwarves . Half-orcs (especially if raised among humans) could choose orcs. This variant also allows the ranger to choose others of his own race who come from a hostile country as a favored enemy . Defensive Favored Enemy Bonuses : A ranger using this variant gains his favored enemy bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks instead of on damage, Bluff checks, and Sense Motive checks against a particular favored enemy. Also, he can use his favored enemy bonus as a dodge bonus as if using the Dodge feat . (That is, each round he must designate one favored enemy opponent against whom the AC bonus applies, and he gains no bonus when flatfooted .) 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 of his challengers would pop one pepper and then leave on a Stretcher."

-A town crier's description of Krusk

The first section of this 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 of tricks 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 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 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-