Ranger

The ranger is a hunter and woodsman who lives by not only his sword, but also his wits.  The abilities of the ranger make him particularly good at tracking, woodcraft, and spying.

Weapons

The ranger can use any weapon.

Armor

Although the ranger can use any weapon and wear any armor, several of his special abilities are usable only when he is wearing studded leather or lighter armor.

Followers & Strongholds

Rangers tend to be loners, men constantly on the move. They cannot have henchmen, hirelings, mercenaries, or even servants until they reach 8th level.

At 10th level, a ranger attracts 2d6 followers.

These followers might be normal humans, but they are often animals or even stranger denizens of the land. A table can be used to determine these, or your DM may assign specific followers.

These followers arrive over the course of several months. Often, they are encountered during the ranger's adventures (allowing you and your DM a chance to role-play the initial meeting). While the followers are automatically loyal and friendly toward the ranger, their future behavior depends on the ranger's treatment of them. In all cases, the ranger does not gain any special method of communicating with his followers. He must either have some way of speaking to them or they simply mutely accompany him on his journeys.

Of course, the ranger is not obligated to take on followers. If he prefers to remain independent, he can release his followers at any time. They reluctantly depart, but stand ready to answer any call for aid he might put out at a later time.

Like fighters, rangers have the ability to build and maintain castles, forts, and strongholds. Unlike fighters, rangers are not joined by free soldiers or other special followers in doing so.

Theoretically, any ranger can build a stronghold. In practice, most rangers who build them are 9th level or higher, since rangers of lower level usually lack the necessary resources, reputation, and skills. A DM may allow a lower-level ranger to have a stronghold under exceptional circumstances; for instance, a ranger might come into an inheritance, or a group of peasants might build a castle in gratitude for his assistance.

Some rangers acquire strongholds in cooperation with the local king or ruler. The ranger begins the process by petitioning the ruler for permission to build a stronghold in a particular area. If the ranger demonstrates good will and has a reputation for trustworthiness and strong leadership, the ruler usually grants permission. In exchange for this permission, the ranger may have to pay an annual tax, or make himself available to serve in the ruler's military forces in times of war. If the ranger meets his obligations, the ruler may loan royal forces to the ranger if his territory is invaded or his stronghold besieged.

More commonly, rangers prefer to build their strongholds in the unsettled wilderness, beyond the sovereignty of any government. Though free of obligations to a ruler, the ranger must also fend for himself in times of peril; if an army of orcs lays claim to the ranger's territory, the ranger is on his own.

Because a ranger's stronghold gains him no special followers, it tends to be significantly smaller and less elaborate than that of a fighter of comparable level. Though a fighter may receive money by selling products produced on his land, taxing settlers, or charging rent, these options are rarely available to rangers. In most cases, a ranger's stronghold generates only a modest income, if any. Guidelines for building and maintaining strongholds are beyond the scope of this book. For more information, you might investigate the DMRG2 Castle Guide, which includes details of castle construction along with a number of standard floor plans. Though most rangers prefer castles and forts made of wood and stone, these are by no means the only types available.

Features

A ranger has the Specialization: Two Weapon Style at no cost. The ranger must be wearing studded leather or lighter armor or he suffers the standard attack roll penalties for fighting two-handed (as if he does not have the proficiency).

The ranger has the Tracking proficiency automatically. Furthermore, this skill improves by +1 for every three levels the ranger has earned (3rd to 5th level, +1; 6th to 8th level, +2, etc.).

The ranger can try to Move Silently and Hide in Shadows. The ranger must be wearing studded leather or lighter armor .

The ranger has a Species Enemy.

Rangers are adept with both trained and untamed creatures, having a limited degree of Animal Empathy.

Rangers cannot have more treasure than they can carry. Excess treasure must either be converted to a portable form or donated to a worthy institution (an NPC group, not a player character).

A ranger can learn priest spells, but only those of the plant or animal spheres when he reaches 8th level. He gains and uses his spells according to the rules given for priests. He does not gain bonus spells for a high Wisdom score, nor is he ever able to use priest scrolls or magical items unless specially noted otherwise.

Initial Funds

5d4x10

Ability Requirements

Strength 13, Dexterity 13, Constitution 14, Wisdom 14. Prime Requisites: Strength, Dexterity, Wisdom

Races Allowed

Any.

Alignment Restrictions

Rangers are always good, but they can be lawful, neutral, or chaotic. It is in the ranger's heart to do good, but not always by the rules.

Like the paladin, the ranger has a code of behavior.

If the ranger intentionally commits an evil act, he automatically loses his ranger status. Thereafter he is considered a fighter of the same level (if he has more experience points than a fighter of his level, he loses all the excess experience points). His ranger status can never be regained. If the ranger involuntarily commits an evil act (perhaps in a situation of no choice), he cannot earn any more experience points until he has cleansed himself of that evil. This can be accomplished by correcting the wrongs he committed, revenging himself on the person who forced him to commit the act, or releasing those oppressed by evil. The ranger instinctively knows what things he must do to regain his status (i.e., the DM creates a special adventure for the character).