This is just from memory, not sure if it was 3.0 or 3.5. I think I only just today realized that ToEE is 3.0 rules...I actually have a 3.0 PHB in storage somewhere, but not here. Anyway, please correct me if I'm wrong, because it is not under the 3.5 PHB under "Ranger". Isn't it the case that if a ranger already has 2-Weapon Fighting or Rapid Shot, that upon hitting level 2 the Ranger will actually gain Improved 2-Weapon Fighting or Point Blank Shot (or some other ranged feat, forget), respectively? There was definitely something along these lines, but perhaps not precisely as I'm describing it.
I don't remember that in D&D, but it's possible. I know Pathfinder greatly expanded the feat selection options for Rangers.
ToEE was originally designed for 3.0 edition but converted to 3.5 edition before ToEE was released, as 3.5 edition rule books had been released for pen and paper D&D just before ToEE was about to ship out. Troika actually got a deadline extension to incorporate the changes from Atari for this purpose. I don't recall what you said being as per the written rules in either edition, but I doubt it would have been, as Rangers are granted improved two weapon fighting at level 6. In ToEE however, choosing two weapon fighting for a ranger at level 1 and two weapon fighting style at level 2 practically wastes a feat as the feat does not stack with the class ability, though you would at least get to keep the two weapon fighting bonuses in heavier than light armour.
To add to Allyx's first point, the game is thus almost completely 3.5 with some occasional 3.0 throwbacks, oversights and anomalies, some of which have been fixed by Co8. And I agree with his second point - no your feat won't morph into something useful like Point Blank Range, (I am 98% sure of that) you will just waste a feat.
You do get the option to choose the ranged fighting style, though, which gives you the fairly useless (at least at low level) rapid shot instead. Precise shot would be a decent alternative for a bowman ranger, and would be available to a fighter by 2nd level with the two bonus feats a fighter gets.
Yeah but that's the rules. <picture shrug smiley here> Btw, re OP, 3.0 did not have anything about combat styles or ranged bonuses: it just said, "When wearing light armor or no armor, a ranger can fight with two weapons as if he or she had the feats Ambidexterity and Two-Weapon Fighting. The ranger loses this special bonus when fighting in medium or heavy armor, or when using a double-headed weapon (such as a double sword)." Ambidexterity is still in the innards of the game, but it doesn't do anything.
Sure thing. It's D&D3.x's implementation of the ranger that is the problem, not Troika's or Co8's implementation of D&D. If one wants to play a dextrous, outdoorsy fighter with sniper feats or effective TWF, a combination of rogue and fighter levels does it better; if you want the weak druid-type spellcasting and animal companion, add some druid levels too.
I generally tend to pick one then pick feats that will give me the abilities of the option I passed over, eventually getting as close as possible to having a ranger that can do both (having Quick Change is a must for this to work well...)
