"Hey. Relax, friend, them mountains aren't going anywhere. I know you're eager to wipe out those goblins, but there's other creatures that live there too, and I won't have you charging in and destroying their homes just so you can add to your own accolades."
——Perseus Clement, Ranger
Champions of the Wilds
Many great warriors are known for their extraordinary deeds in combat, but few are praised for their commitment to their ideals and way of life. It takes a great deal of strength, guile, and wisdom to be a Ranger, as they must not only master martial combat, but also become one with the land around them. Rangers master skills that allow them to understand the environment they protect and live in. They are known to be excellent trackers, survivalists, beast tamers, skilled users of bow and sword, and even students of a bit of elemental magic, all to aid in the defense of the lands they cherish.
Adventurers
Rangers are well suited to the adventuring life, as many are roamers and vagabonds by virtue of their profession alone. Many prefer not to stay in one place for too long, and their familiarity with nature as well as their ability to survive in it can make them invaluable to any adventuring party daring to embark on a long journey through hazardous environs. Much to the delight of other professional adventurers, rangers also tend to not be terribly greedy, as most live off the land anyways and don't have much use for material wealth.
They often serve as scouts and trackers, scouring the route ahead for others while remaining unseen to better inform their allies of the dangers that lie in wait. When it comes time to fight, the Ranger is usually the first to engage, either letting loose a deadly barrage of arrows to soften up an enemy, or charging headlong into battle with swords drawn or a trusty animal companion by their side.
History and Culture
Ironically, Rangers first came to prominence with the technological rise of civilization. When humanoids began to build and live in cities, slowly losing their affinity with the world that birthed them, some people found themselves stifled by the trappings of society and economy, rejecting man-made rules and constructions to forge their own path. Some Rangers were born of a need to reestablish the connection that had been lost once the races started to move away from their earthen roots. While not everyone is comfortable living off the land or among wild beasts, the invaluable knowledge of how to survive in such a fashion would still need to be retained throughout the generations.
Rangers vary as widely as the different lands they live in. They can be found in forests, mountains, deserts, plains and even oceans. Thus, it is difficult for these defenders of the natural world to have a culture of their own. They have no shared traditions, bonds or oaths, save that nature is their ally.
Alignment
Rangers can be of any alignment, but most tend to be chaotic, as the random and lethal neutrality of nature itself tends to attract those with a disdain or lack of understanding for order. Still, there are some that find harmony within the wilds, so lawful rangers are not unheard of.
Goodly folk with chaotic or neutral tendencies find themselves along the path of the ranger the most often, either seeking to protect the land and its inhabitants, or simply to explore and see what it has to offer a hero with an open mind.
Evil rangers are less common, the priorities and duties of such a profession often demanding a certain level of sacrifice and neutrality to something other than personal desires, which many evil individuals are loathe to commit to. Some evil rangers do exist despite their nature, usually having twisted the basic oath of the ranger to suite their own needs, such as the eradication of an encroaching group of humanoids without parlay or even much observation beforehand.
Class Features
♦ Martial Combatant – 1st Level
♦ Bonus Basic Powers – 1st Level
You master two bonus
Basic Martial Techniques, one from each Martial Discipline that you have access to. You must still meet all prerequisites of the chosen power.
♦ Animal Affinity – 1st Level
When making a
Riding check or
Charm check (when communicating with animals), you may substitute your
Animal Care skill instead.
♦ Natural Rituals – 1st Level
You may acquire and cast rituals with an Elemental Rank equal to your [Martial Rank - 2].
♦ Dual Wielder – 1st Level (Requires Duelist)
If you chose the Duelist Discipline, you may wield One-Hand Weapons in your Off-hand.
♦ Ranged Specialist – 1st Level (Requires Marksman)
If you chose the Marksman Discipline, gain a +1
class bonus to Precision and a +0.5
class bonus to the Weapon Damage Multiplier for all Ranged Weapons that you are proficient with. Additionally, reduce the penalty suffered from
Long Range attacks by 2.
♦ Animal Companion – 1st Level (Requires Hunter)
If you chose the Hunter Discipline, gain an
Animal Companion from the standard list.
♦ Basic Weapon Training – 5th Level
Decrease the Base Speed of any Ranged Weapon, Melee One-Hand, and Melee Off-Hand Weapon you wield by 1. This is a Class bonus. You must be proficient with the weapon to gain this benefit.
♦ Magical Animal Companion – 5th Level (Requires Hunter)
If you chose the Hunter Discipline, your animal companion's natural attacks now count as magical.
♦ Bonus Stances – 8th & 16th Level
You gain a bonus Martial Stance for which you qualify.
♦ Advanced Melee Training – 13th Level (Requires Duelist)
If you chose the Duelist Discipline, decrease the Base Speed of any Melee One-hand and Melee Off-hand weapon you wield by 1. This is a class bonus that stacks with Basic Weapon Training. You must be proficient with the weapon to gain this benefit.
♦ Advanced Ranged Training – 13th Level (Requires Marksman)
If you chose the Marksman Discipline, decrease the Base Speed of any Ranged weapon you wield by 1. This is a class bonus that stacks with Basic Weapon Training. You must be proficient with the weapon to gain this benefit.
♦ Legendary Melee Training – 21st Level (Requires Duelist)
If you chose the Duelist Discipline, decrease the Base Speed of any Melee One-hand and Melee Off-hand weapon you wield by 1. This is a class bonus that stacks with Advanced Melee Training. You must be proficient with the weapon to gain this benefit.
♦ Legendary Ranged Training – 21st Level (Requires Marksman)
If you chose the Marksman Discipline, decrease the Base Speed of any Ranged weapon you wield by 1. This is a class bonus that stacks with Advanced Ranged Training. You must be proficient with the weapon to gain this benefit.
Combat Training
Combat Training by Level
| Type | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 5th | 6th | 7th | 9th | 10th | 11th | |
| Melee | +1 | ' | ? | ' | +1 | ' | ? | ' | +1 | |
| Ranged | +1 | ' | ? | ' | +1 | ' | ? | ' | +1 | |
| Parry | ' | +1 | ' | ' | ' | ' | ? | ' | ' | |
| Fort | ' | ? | ' | +1 | ' | ? | ' | +1 | ' | |
| Reflex | +1 | ? | ' | +1 | ' | ? | ' | ' | ' | |
| Will | ' | ? | ' | ' | ' | ? | ' | ' | ' | |
-
1st level, one point in Melee Weapon Attacks, one point in Ranged Weapon Attacks, and one point in Reflex.
-
2nd level, one point in Parry and one point in your choice of the following: Fortitude, Reflex, or Will.
-
3rd level, one point in your choice of the following: Melee Weapon Attacks or Ranged Weapon Attacks.
-
5th level, one point in Fortitude and one point in Reflex.
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6th level, one point in Melee Weapon Attacks and one point in Ranged Weapon Attacks.
-
7th level, one point in your choice of the following: Fortitude, Reflex, or Will.
-
9th level, one point in your choice of the following: Melee Weapon Attacks, Ranged Weapon Attacks, or Parry.
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10th level, one point in Fortitude.
-
11th level, one point in Melee Weapon Attacks and one point in Ranged Weapon Attacks.
Ranger Specialties
When your character earns a Class Specialty, you may choose one from the following list.
♦ Consistent Strikes
When dealing weapon damage with a weapon you are proficient with, you may re-roll 1's on any damage dice until they do not show a 1.
♦ Dual Weapon Defense
When wielding weapons you are proficient with in both your Main and Off hands, gain a +2/+2 Shield Bonus to AC and a +2 Shield Bonus to Touch. This does not stack with the
Defensive property of weapons.
♦ Dual Weapon Harrier
When you use a power to make one or more melee weapon attacks with your Main Hand and miss all targets of all attacks, you may use a
Off-Hand Strike against one target as a Reactive Action. This does not prevent you from using Off-Hand Strike as you next action.
♦ Equipment Specialist
Reduce both your Stamina and Resolve allocations for any magical Armor, Weapons, or Shields that you wield by half (min 1, round up). You may use this ability on a number of items up to your Martial Rank.
♦ Hasty Withdrawal
Whenever you are attacked by a creature in melee, you may shift 5ft away from the creature as a reactive action.
♦ Martial Energy Reserve
You gain an extra reserve of energy that replenishes after each Short Rest without needing to burn energy for its restoration. You may spend this energy in place of Stamina or Resolve cost for Martial Techniques. The amount of Energy in your reserve is equal to your Martial Rank. This reserve cannot be used for Burn costs.
♦ Mobile Offense
Lunging with an attack does not increase your recovery time.
♦ Ranged Harrier
When you use a power to make one or more ranged weapon attacks and miss all targets of all attacks, you may make a Ranged Basic Attack against one target as a Reactive Action.
♦ Rending Blows
When wielding a melee weapon (one-hand or off-hand) you are proficient with, increase the damage you deal with the weapon by [1/3 x Martial Rank].
♦ Shot in a Crowd
When making a Ranged Weapon Attack on a target that is
Flanked, you gain all advantages granted by that target due to the Flank.
