Ranger

Role: Ranger are deft skirmishers, either in melee or at range, capable of skillfully dancing in and out of battle. Their abilities allow them to deal significant harm to specific types of foes, but their skills are valuable against all manner of enemies.

Alignment: Any

Hit Points: 10 per level

Starting Wealth: 5d6 × 10 gp (average 175 gp.) In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.

Class Skills

The ranger receives 1 rank in the following; Acrobatics, Artisan, Awareness, Diplomacy, Endurance, Feats of Strength, Handle Animal, Heal, Intimidate, Knowledge (Dungeoneering, Geography, Nature, and Local), Ride, Spellcraft, Stealth, and Survival.

Skill Ranks per Level: 6 + Int modifier.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the ranger.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Rangers receive proficiency with all weapon types (excluding individual Exotic weapons), and receive proficiency with light armor, medium armor, and shields.

Spellcasting

Rangers learn to cast a small amount of divine spells which are drawn from the Ranger spell list (and the Druid spell list for 0th level spells). This otherwise functions as the Ranger’s spellcasting.

To prepare or cast a spell, a ranger must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a ranger’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the ranger’s Wisdom modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a ranger can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Ranger. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Wisdom score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells). When Table: Ranger indicates that the ranger gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level, he gains only the bonus spells he would be entitled to based on his Wisdom score for that spell level.

A ranger must spend 1 hour per day in quiet meditation to regain his daily allotment of spells. A ranger may prepare and cast any spell on the ranger spell list, provided that he can cast spells of that level, but he must choose which spells to prepare during his daily meditation.

Orisons: Rangers learn a number of orisons, or 0-level spells as a Druid of their level. These spells are cast like any other spell, but they don’t consume slots and can be used again.

Favored Enemy (Ex)

At 1st level, a ranger selects a creature type from the ranger favored enemies table. He gains a +2 bonus on Awareness, Bluff, Knowledge, and Survival checks against creatures of his selected type. Likewise, he gets a +2 bonus on weapon attack and damage rolls against them.

At 5th level and every five levels thereafter (10th, 15th, and 20th level), the ranger selects an additional favored enemy. In addition, at each such interval, the bonuses against their favored enemies increases by +2. (For example, at 10th level a Ranger with Humanoid first, Ooze second, and Plant third has the following bonuses; +6 vs. Humanoids, +4 vs. Oozes, and finally +2 vs. Plants.)

By spending one day a Ranger can change one of his favored enemies. Only one favored enemy can be changed at a time.

By spending 1 Stamina Point, the Ranger can double the bonuses granted by Favored Enemy for a number of rounds equal to their Wisdom modifier.

Track (Ex)

A ranger adds half his level (minimum 1) to Survival skill checks made to follow tracks.

Wild Empathy (Ex)

A ranger can improve the initial attitude of an animal. In order to use Wild Empathy you make a Diplomacy check, adding Wisdom in place of Charisma. The ranger can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but he takes a –4 penalty on the check.

The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly.

To use wild empathy, the ranger and the animal must be within 30 feet of one another under normal visibility conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute, but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.

Combat Style

The ranger’s expertise manifests in the form of special class abilities at 2nd, 6th, 10th, 14th, and 18th level.

Archery

• 2nd Level: Increase bow range by 10 ft. per 2 levels.
• 6th Level: Tactical Shot (Bow Technique): Spend 1 Stamina when firing a bow to deal +2d6 precision damage.
• 10th Level: The ranger can make attacks of opportunities with bows they own.
• 14th Level: When making multiple attacks in a single turn, add a +2 bonus to all attack rolls being made.
• 18th Level: Kill Shot (Bow Technique): Spend 4 Stamina after landing a critical hit on a bow in order to make it an instant kill. If the opponent is immune to death effects, they are immune to this effect.

Menacing

• 2nd Level: The ranger can use their Wisdom modifier on Intimidate rolls if it is higher than their Charisma modifier.
• 6th Level: Sidestep (Simple Technique): Spend 1 Stamina to move into another adjacent square if an adjacent opponent misses.
• 10th Level: Upon killing an opponent, the ranger can make an Intimidate as a free action against all enemies within sight.
• 14th Level: Enemies intimidated by the ranger are unable to take a double move. They must take a withdraw action or run.
• 18th Level: The ranger makes opponents terrified on a successful intimidate.

Unarmed

• 2nd Level: The ranger receives the Monk’s Strike class ability but disregards the benefits from wielding ‘Monk’ weapons. In addition, he uses half his level as his effective Monk level for the purpose of unarmed strike’s damage.
• 6th Level: Ranger’s Fist (Martial Art): Spend 1 Stamina to entangle a foe on a successful unarmed strike, this lasts for 2 rounds.
• 10th Level: Ranger’s Kick (Martial Art): Spend 2 Stamina to deal an additional +2d6 damage on a single unarmed strike.
• 14th Level: So long as the ranger has at least 1 Stamina Point remaining, he has a climb speed of 30 feet. If he already possesses a climb speed, this increases by +10 feet.
• 18th Level: So long as the ranger has at least 1 Stamina Point remaining, he uses his full level for Monk’s Strike, and has a 19-20 natural critical range with his fists. Keen or Improved Critical modifies this to 17-20 like normal.

Two-Handed Combat

• 2nd Level: When using the Power Strike weapon technique, reduce the Stamina use by 1 (to a minimum of 0).
• 6th Level: If the ranger hits an opponent who is flat-footed, they force the opponent to use their flat-footed AC for an additional 1 round thereafter.
• 10th Level: So long as they have at least 1 Stamina, double the ranger’s Strength bonus instead of adding +50% when two-handing.
• 14th Level: Roundhouse Slam (Simple Technique): Spend 3 Stamina to gain a +5 to attack and damage on a full-round attack with a two handed weapon.
• 18th Level: Opponents of equal or lower level who take damage from the ranger’s attacks take a -5 to AC for 1d4 + Wisdom modifier rounds.

Trickster

• 2nd Level: So long as you are wearing light or no armor and are at your light load or lighter, you increase your land speed by 10 feet.
• 6th Level: Tendon Slicer (Simple Technique): On a successful attack roll with a slashing weapon, spend 2 Stamina in order to reduce the opponent’s land speed by half. This lasts until the beginning of your next turn.
• 10th Level: The ranger receives a climb and swim speed, both at 10 feet, if they did not already possess these. If they did they instead increase these speeds by 10 feet and gain a +5 bonus to Acrobatics checks made to climb or swim.
• 14th Level: The ranger rolls initiative twice and takes the better result.
• 18th Level: The ranger receives their Wisdom modifier as a dodge bonus to AC, and so long as they have at least 1 Stamina they are immune to any effects which would hinder movement speed as if they were under a constant effect of Freedom of Movement.

Phalanx

• 2nd Level: While wielding a shield in one hand and a polearm in the other hand the ranger increases their shield bonus to AC by 1.
• 6th Level: Guarded Stab (Polearm Technique): Over time the ranger has become accustomed to using their shield and lance in tandem efficiently, and by spending 1 stamina they can ignore the penalties of fighting defensively.
• 10th Level: While the ranger is wielding any shield except a tower shield they can wield a two-handed polearm in one hand or both hands at no penalty.
• 14th Level: So long as the ranger has at least 1 Stamina their polearm receives the reach quality. If it already possesses the quality, they’re able to use weapons with reach against enemies adjacent to them.
• 18th Level: The ranger deals 1d4 points of bleed damage with polearms, and in addition the ranger can spend 2 stamina in order to increase the bleed damage to 3d4 instead.

Favored Terrain (Ex)

At 3rd level, a ranger may select a type of terrain. The ranger gains a +2 bonus on initiative checks, Awareness, Knowledge (geography), Stealth, and Survival skill checks when he is in this terrain. A ranger traveling through his favored terrain normally leaves no trail and cannot be tracked (though he may leave a trail if he so chooses).

At 8th level and every five levels thereafter, the ranger may select an additional favored terrain. In addition, at each such interval, the skill bonus and initiative bonus in their favored terrains increases by +2.

If a specific terrain falls into more than one category of favored terrain, the ranger’s bonuses do not stack; he simply uses whichever bonus is higher.

Hunter’s Bond (Ex)

At 4th level, a ranger forms a bond with his hunting companions. This bond can take one of two forms. Once the form is chosen, it cannot be changed. The first is a bond to his companions. This bond allows him to spend a move action to grant half his favored enemy bonus against a single target of the appropriate type to all allies within 30 feet who can see or hear him. This bonus lasts for a number of rounds equal to the ranger’s Wisdom modifier (minimum 1). This bonus does not stack with any favored enemy bonuses possessed by his allies; they use whichever bonus is higher.

The second option is to form a close bond with an animal companion. A ranger who selects an animal companion can choose from the following list: badger, bird, camel, cat (small), dire rat, dog, horse, pony, snake (viper or constrictor), or wolf. If the campaign takes place wholly or partly in an aquatic environment, the ranger may choose a shark instead. This animal is a loyal companion that accompanies the ranger on his adventures as appropriate for its kind. A ranger’s animal companion shares his favored enemy and favored terrain bonuses.

This ability functions like the druid animal companion ability (which is part of the Nature Bond class feature), except that the ranger’s effective druid level is equal to his ranger level –3.

A ranger can select a antelope, baboon, bustard, capybara, elk, falcon, kangaroo, lizard (giant gecko), marsupial devil, ram, reindeer, snake (reef snake or spitting cobra), stag, trumpeter swan, thylacine, wolfdog, yak, or zebra as an animal companion. If the campaign takes place in an aquatic environment, the ranger can choose an armorfish or reef snake. A falconer ranger can select a falcon companion instead of a bird companion.

If the campaign takes place in an aquatic environment, the ranger can choose a stingray.

The ambusher, bully, daredevil, fey-touched companion, precocious companion, totem guide, tracker, verdant companion, and wrecker archetypes are all particularly appropriate for a ranger’s animal companion.

Pierce Through (Ex)

Starting at 5th level, on a full-round attack a Ranger can make an additional attack roll at a -5 penalty. The origin square of this attack must be an opponent the Ranger has previously hit with one of their attacks in their full-round attack, and using this new origin square they can have their new attack go against anyone within their weapon’s range.

Additional attacks can be made by spending 5 Stamina per additional attack, and each additional attack past the initial use of Pierce Through increases the attack penalty by 5 (maximum of -20).

Woodland Stride (Ex)

Starting at 7th level, the ranger ignores difficult terrain and hazards for terrains they have listed as part of their Favored Terrain.

Swift Tracker (Ex)

Beginning at 8th level, a ranger takes no penalties for tracking individuals when moving at normal speed and they only take a -5 penalty when moving double their move speed.

Evasion (Ex)

When he reaches 9th level, a ranger can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the ranger is wearing light armor, medium armor, or no armor. A helpless ranger does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Quarry (Ex)

At 11th level, a ranger can designate a single opponent once per combat as their ‘quarry’ as a swift action and against this opponent they automatically confirm critical hits and their attacks bypass all DR (except by DR/- or DR/Epic).

Camouflage (Ex)

A ranger of 12th level or higher can use Stealth to hide within their favored terrains without needing cover or concealment. In addition they add half their level to Stealth checks made in order to hide within their favored terrain.

Improved Evasion (Ex)

At 16th level, a ranger’s evasion improves. This ability works like evasion, except that while the ranger still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks, he henceforth takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless ranger does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.

Hide in Plain Sight (Ex)

While in any of his favored terrains, a ranger of 17th level or higher can use the Stealth skill even while being observed.

Improved Quarry (Ex)

At 19th level, the ranger’s ability to hunt his quarry improves. He can now take 20 while using Survival to track his quarry, while moving at normal speed without penalty. He gains a bonus to attack his quarry equal to 5 + half level. If his quarry is killed or dismissed, he can select a new one after 10 minutes have passed.

Master Hunter (Ex)

A ranger of 20th level becomes a master hunter. He can always move at full speed while using Survival to follow tracks without penalty.

In addition to this, Rangers treat all attacks they make against their Favored Enemies are treated as if they were Great Slaying Arrows. On a successful hit the opponent must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + Ranger’s level + Wisdom modifier) and on a failed save the opponent takes 100 damage, or 50 damage on a successful save. The Ranger can choose to deal this damage as lethal or nonlethal damage.

In addition the ranger adds his favored enemy bonus as an additional insight bonus on saves against spells and abilities used by his favored enemies.