Class Preview: Ranger

Though Deverenia once claimed the whole of the Accordlands, most of it has not known civilization since before the Dragon’s fall at the end of the First War. Monsters rule these lands, and instinctively oppose any attempt at settling them. Even the barbarian tribes have great difficulty surviving in such hostile terrain, but specialized hunters — the rangers — scour the wilderness and destroy any threats. Indeed, most rangers consider themselves defenders of their societies.

Adventures: Rangers are specialized hunters, preferring more powerful game than normal animals. Though nominally civilized men and women, rangers spend little time in cities or even rural areas, instead roaming the wilds for their favored prey, including enemy races. Rangers often accompany adventuring companies to distant and dangerous locales, as few know more of survival. Some have even elected to work in the urban wilderness of large cities, the underworlds where men prey upon each other.

Characteristics: Like the more common fighter, the ranger’s primary task is combat, but the ranger uses the environment to his advantage. Even the most callow ranger is familiar with certain types of terrain, and while on them he is significantly stronger. Enemies on his favored terrain face incredible danger, as the ranger can track them wherever they go, set cunning traps, and study them at his leisure before attacking. Augmented by a small circle of spells and some talent with herbalism, the ranger is as at home in the wilds as any druid.

Alignment: Rangers may be of any alignment. Though most have an independent streak, this only slightly favors chaotic rangers, as others feel a strong duty toward their protectorate. Good-aligned rangers keep their hunts to a minimum lest they disrupt the local wildlife, while evil rangers frequently hunt animals to extinction when they are not hunting men.

Background: Rangers typically grow up on the frontier, where civilization gives way to the wilds. Unlike the barbarian (who surrenders to it), rangers seek mastery over nature, bending it to their will. Though they respect the natural world, they fully intend to force nature to return that honor in kind.

Formal ranger schools do not exist. Instead, rangers learn their profession through experience. While rangers do band together, this is usually a survival tactic rather than an innate desire for companionship, and any training elder rangers give to others is usually just occasional advice.

Rangers come proportionately from all levels of society, with the rugged peasant ranger only slightly more common than the proud royal hunter. Unfortunately, different origins often lead to conflict between rangers, with royals viewing peasant rangers as brigands-in-training and peasants remembering old tales of noblemen hunting commoners for sport. To help balance this, many nations (most notably Deverenia and Baraxton) have severe laws restricting hunting, lest “accidents" occur. Hunting lodges and informal rangers’ societies also uphold this tradition, and even dire enemies have taken to contests of skill rather than lethal combat.

Races: Anywhere beasts rule, you'll find rangers. Though the elves of House Glyn have many rangers, there are almost as many in each of the Free Kingdoms and Nothrog lands. Even Deverenia has a handful who primarily hunt the strange monsters of the Shattered Lands to the east. Dwarves have extraordinarily few rangers, as few mundane traps help against Abyssals.

Other Classes: Even in a crowd, rangers tend to remain distant from others. They neither care for nor ignore the other classes, preferring to keep to themselves. Though not antisocial (drinking contests are a favored pastime), they instinctively allow others to do what they feel is necessary, and expect the same consideration in return. Unfortunately, this attitude leads to conflict with many of the more group-minded classes, such as paladins, fighters, clerics, and wizards, but rangers usually only press their independence if they feel that others have taken their skills for granted.

All of the following are class features of the ranger.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A ranger is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and with light armor and shields (except tower shields).

Bonus Feats: At 1st level the ranger receives a bonus feat. A ranger may take Favored Enemy as a feat a 1^st level, ignoring prerequisites. The ranger gains additional bonus feats at 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th and 20th level. These bonus feats must be chosen from the following list: Alertness, Two-Weapon Fighting, Analyze Foe, Combat Reflexes, Cutting Reminder, Exotic Weapon Proficiency*, Favored Enemy, Favored Primary Weapon, Favored Secondary Weapon, I Have Your Back, Improved Initiative, Mounted Combat (Mounted Archery, Mounted Charge, Trample, Ride-By Attack, Spirited Charge), Point Blank Shot (Far Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Shot on the Run), Power Attack (Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Power Shot, Improved Sunder, Great Cleave), Sixth Sense, Tree Talk, Twin Weapon Fighting, Two- Weapon Fighting (Improved Two-Weapon Fighting), Versatile, Weapon Finesse*, Weapon Focus*.

The ranger may select feats with a "*" more than once, each time for a new weapon. Some of the bonus feats available to the ranger cannot be acquired until he has gained one or more prerequisite feats; these feats are listed parenthetically after the prerequisite feat.

Track: The ranger gains Track as a bonus feat.

Favored Terrain: At 1st level, a ranger may select one type of territory as a favored terrain from the list below. Due to his extensive knowledge of this ground the ranger gains a +3 circumstance bonus to Climb, Hide, Listen, Knowledge (nature), Move Silently, Ride, Search, Spot, Swim, Use Rope and Survival checks made within his favored terrain. Further, the ranger’s knowledge of his surroundings provides him a +2 circumstance bonus to all attack rolls in his favored terrain. The ranger may not use this ability if he is wearing medium or heavy armor. At 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th level, the ranger may select a new favored terrain.

Sample Ranger Favored Terrain Types

Other terrain types may be available at the GM’s discretion.

Improved Track: The ranger gains this feat for free at 5th level.

Uncanny Track: At 10th level, the ranger may, with a successful tracking attempt (as defined by the Track feat), learn additional information about his quarry. He learns the following: creature’s type and species (or a description of the species, if the ranger is not familiar with it already), their numbers, and where they have traveled during the past week. Further, as long as the ranger continues to track the same subjects, he need not make any further tracking rolls, regardless of changes in his tracking modifier.

More unique features of the Ranger class are featured in the Accordlands RPG!