I have an adventure going with two rangers in it (it is the campaign I have posted in the campaign journal section actually). Because of the way the adventure began, both rangers reached 2nd level prior to have many chances to gain a particular special enemy.
Therefore, since both rangers were taken by slavers, I allowed them to chose slavers as their hated enemy. It is not race or creature specific. The enemy must, however, be easily identified as a slaver. For example, someone holding captives, etc.
Just thought I would see what some of y'all (I know, not very Minnesota sounding of me) think of it.
Sounds fine to me, as it is a very narrow classification in most cases. Now, if you are running a Slave Lords or Hold of the Sea Princes campaign where the classification is not so limited, then perhaps you should exclude slave owners from the classification and only include slave traders. If you are not running such a campaign, then I would consider including slave owners in the classification. "Favored enemy" doesn't mean that the ranger simply attacks such targets on sight though. Sometimes adventurers must deal with less savory folk without killing them, but that doesn't mean a ranger won't later seek to kill/undermine such folk if given the chance. As a class, the Ranger always came across to me as being more practical/sensible in their approach to problems than a Paladin, but maybe that is just me. _________________ - Moderator/Admin (in some areas)/Member -
From a game-play point of view, I think that allowing slavers as a favored enemy is a great, well-balanced option (with Cebrion's caveat). It makes less sense from the ability's purpose, however, so it may need a bit of justification.
Favored enemy bonuses are based on the chosen creature type's anatomy as well as habits (social, war, dietary, etc.). Gaining such in-game bonuses against creatures of any race simply because they are in the business of slave-trading may be more difficult to justify. I think you can do it, though - and it may not even be of concern to you and your players.
I would go about it this way. Creatures that own other sentient creatures as slaves have certain personality traits in common. They act with disdain toward those they feel are of lesser quality than themselves. Toward those of perceived higher status, they feign obsequiousness, but generally plot to bring them down in order to take their station for themselves. These tendencies cause them to underestimate opponents of perceived lesser status and hesitate when facing opponents of perceived higher status. The ranger has learned to spot these qualities in creatures that own slaves and take advantage of them.
Of course, I don't mean to begin a debate about whether my above generalizations are accurate - I only offer those as examples of where to begin with a believable explanation as to why your rangers would enjoy Favored Enemy bonuses against all slavers regardless of race.
Cebrion, I planned on making it a pretty narrow focus to get the bonus. They essentially will have to see the person owns/sells slaves or is directly guarding or transporting the slaves. I was thinking there must be an actual slave presence for the bonus. Going to be a work in progress.
SirXaris, thanks for reminding me the original intent on why they got the bonus. I forgot it was anatomy related. Thanks for your input on this. I will probably tie it into increased drive and tenacity in addition. In this particular case, the two rangers have spent a year or so as slaves themselves. They are intimately familiar.
Although the Player's Handbook does not mention it, the very useful 2e product, Complete Book of Rangers DOES list bucanners, slavers, pirates, brigands, and bandits as appropriate 'species' enemy choices, based on terrain, of course.
I seem to recall from the Ranger's Handbook, something about plausible reasons for a ranger to choose something as a favored enemy. Like, if the ranger's family had been killed by goblins, that would explain the ranger harboring a special animosity towards goblins. I imagine the same would apply to pirates, bandits, slavers, and anything else Lanthorn mentioned in his post.
So, your rangers who'd been kept AS slaves for some time, having a strong enough desire to "pay them all back", seems enough to me, for them to have "slavers" as their favored enemy.
Of course, this is just my opinion. Make of it what you will.
Favored Enemy bonuses are not just based on anatomy (as studying anatomy doesn't give one encounter reaction penalties when dealing with the subject of such study, otherwise I would be +4 to hit/-4 on encounter reactions with earthworms, frogs, sharks and cats ). The anatomy angle is in there to cover creatures with weird anatomy, or weird ways in which they are slain, but which otherwise might not necessarily have by choice wronged the ranger in the past, but that simply may have done so due to its nature. This is something that a ranger would understand, and so would not necessarily hate the creature for, but they could see the creature as a danger and take it upon themselves to slay such creatures out of a sense of duty than due to any feeling of hatred. But, unreasoned hatred works too, as it can also cause somebody to learn how to kill weird stuff by studying how to do so (i.e. studying its anatomy and similar things). Whichever the case may be, the ranger gets the bonus/penalty. _________________ - Moderator/Admin (in some areas)/Member -
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). The anatomy angle is in there to cover creatures with weird anatomy, or weird ways in which they are slain, but which otherwise might not necessarily have by choice wronged the ranger in the past, but that simply may have done so due to its nature. This is something that a ranger would understand, and so would not necessarily hate the creature for, but they could see the creature as a danger and take it upon themselves to slay such creatures out of a sense of duty than due to any feeling of hatred. But, unreasoned hatred works too, as it can also cause somebody to learn how to kill weird stuff by studying how to do so (i.e. studying its anatomy and similar things). Whichever the case may be, the ranger gets the bonus/penalty.