Ranger

Defender of the natural world

The ranger is a fighter whose skills are specially suited to the wilderness. All rangers have a preferred terrain type (e.g., forest, jungle, swamp, mountains, hills, desert, tundra, et. al.), and, like druids, they typically establish themselves as custodians of a particular stretch of wilderness. Unlike druids, however, rangers may be of Lawful as well as Neutral alignment, as their chief goal isn't so much the preservation of the multiverse's natural balance as the protection and conservation of their home range and its inhabitants.

Upon entering their profession, rangers are inducted into the local Ward, an enclave of rangers operating within a given wilderness area. Within the Ward, the ranger is tutored by another ranger of greater ability. Their initial instruction consumes the first four levels of their careers; during this time, rangers may not venture alone or of their own accord and are for all intents and purposes, bonded apprentices to their higher-level mentors. Upon reaching 5th-level, the ranger is inducted as a formal member of the local Ward, but must remain in Ward's service until reaching Name level. At that time, the ranger may exercise one of three high-level options.

Understandably, rangers prefer their wilderness surroundings to that of urban or even moderately settled rural areas. As a result, they are sometimes saddled with an unsavoury reputation by the inhabitants of civilised settlements that happen to border their range; for their part, rangers do little to dispell such perceptions, believing that they are best able to perform their duties without the help or hindrance of those who do not know or appreciate their business.

In combat, rangers may don any protective gear desired, though they prefer lighter armour so as not to overly restrict mobility (typically no more than 300cn encumbrance); as a result, enchanted armour or magicked protective devices are highly sought after (q.v., magical armour for weight reduction of magic armour). Their choice in weapons leans toward the practical: easily-wielded bladed weapons for melee and non-mechanical missile weapons for long-range attacks. Using their stealth ability within familiar home terrain, rangers prefer to harass foes from a distance, using missile fire and their smattering of offensive magic-user spells. When forced into melee, or when confronting their preferred foe, rangers use stealth and backstabbing to deliver maximum damage against their opponent(s).

Class Details

Primary Attribute: Strength and Intelligence.
Experience Bonus: 5% for Strength and Intelligence 13-15, 10% for Strength and Intelligence 16-18.
Hit Dice: 1d6 per level up to 9th level. Starting with 10th level, +2 hit points per level, and Constitution adjustments no longer apply.
Maximum Level: 36.
Armour: Any (though mobility is preferred, so total ENC is not to exceed 300cn, including shield).
Weapons: Axe, bow (any except crossbow), dagger, sling, spear, sword (any type); Weapon Mastery as normal PC (RC/75).
Combat: Attacks as thief of equal level.
Special Abilities: Fighter Combat Options and Set Spear vs. Charge manoeuvres (RC/Chapter 8), backstab (as thief; RC/23); At 1st-level – General Skills of Nature Lore, Stealth, Survival (all within their favoured terrain), and Tracking; at 3rd-level – +1 "to-hit" and damage vs. "preferred foe" (see below); at 4th-level – cast Magic-user spells as magic-user of 1/4 current level while in armour.

Special Abilities

A ranger's "apprenticeship" lasts until reaching 5th-level. During this period, the ranger is given instruction in his fundamental skills:

At 1st-level, the ranger is taught the general skills of Nature Lore, Stealth, Survival, and Tracking; the first three of these skills naturally pertain to the terrain type of the ranger's wilderness range. Their combat skills are augmented with the fundamentals that allow them access to the fighter combat options and set spear vs. charge manoeuvres. For close-quarters ambushing, rangers are also taught to backstab, a feat they may perform as a thief (RC/23).

At 3rd-level, the ranger must choose a "preferred foe," against which he gains a permanent +1 "to-hit" and damage bonus. Preferred foes are of a general type only and may be selected from the monster types cited on RC/155-6 (i.e., giant animal, prehistoric animal, construct, enchanted monster, dragon, dragon-kin, humanoid, giant humanoid, demihuman, human, lowlife, monster, planar monster, or undead). Once the preferred foe is chosen, it may not be changed, though the ranger's combat bonus does apply to all representatives of the monster type selected. As expected, the type of preferred foe chosen must be one native to the character's home range.

At 4th-level, the ranger gains the ability to cast Magic-user spells as a mage equal to 1/4 his current level (round down). This ability requires the use of a spellbook, and new spells are acquired and wielded through the normal spell-casting process. Despite their spell-casting ability, rangers cannot create new magic items, nor can they research new spells.

Higher Experience Levels

Upon reaching Name level, the ranger may choose to either build a stronghold or offer his services to other Wards outside his own. Those rangers who construct fortifications are known as ranger lords, while those who travel to another range are called wardens.

A ranger lord may build his stronghold either within the borders of his current Ward or without. Building within the current Ward is seen as advantageous, since it increases the Ward's size and bolsters the Ward's overall protection. If a ranger knight constructs his stronghold within his Ward, he attracts up to 25 followers (as outlined under the fighter entry on RC/138, though half will be rangers of levels 1-4), and his construction costs are halved, simulating the aid he receives from his fellows. The ranger continues to attract followers at a rate of 3-8 (1d6+2) per additional experience level earned after name level.

If the ranger lord builds his stronghold outside his current Ward, he is essentially founding a new Ward somewhere else. The new Ward must be of a terrain type similar to that of the ranger lord's home Ward. While construction costs for establishing a stronghold in a new Ward are normal, the ranger knight receives up to 50 followers (as outlined under the fighter entry on RC/138, though half will be rangers of levels 1-6). The ranger continues to attract followers at a rate of 4-14 (2d6+2) per additional experience level earned after name level.

In all cases, ranger lords build strongholds designed to fit in with the natural landscape as closely as possible. For example, a forest ranger may build a fortified series of arboreal halls; a marsh ranger might build a collection of dry, earthen mounds; a hill ranger might base his stronghold within a natural cave, perhaps fortified with light stonework. A ranger lord's followers offer their loyalty in exchange for the ranger's oath to protect them and their Ward.

A warden who ventures to another wilderness area does so with the aid of 7-12 (1d6+6) rangers of levels 4-7 (1d4+3) who agree to offer their support. Upon arriving at his new range, the ranger and his followers must submit to the dictates of the local Ward. While the ranger's followers give their loyalty freely, no new followers are gained. The ranger knight may remain in the new range for as long as the Ward requires; when this period ends, the ranger is free to venture elsewhere, either to another Ward, or to strike out on his own, as described above.

Experience Table