Rugged and wild-looking, a ryushin human moves through the forest's shadows with a strong determination, trailing the orcs plotting a raid on a nearby rice farm. Clutching a shortsword in each hand, he becomes a whirlwind of steel, cutting down one enemy after another.
After tumbling away from a cone of freezing air, a frost dwarf finds her feet and draws back her crossbow to loose a bolt at the white dragon. Shrugging off the wave of fear that emanates from the dragon like the chill of its breath, she sends one bolt after another to find the gaps between the dragon’s thick scales.
Holding his hand high, a half-wild elf whistles to the hawk that circles high above him, calling the bird back to his side. Whispering instructions in Elvish, he points to the owlbear he’s been tracking and sends the hawk to distract the creature while he readies his bow.
Far from the bustle of cities and towns, past the hedges that shelter the most distant farms from the terrors of the wild, amid the dense-packed trees of trackless forests and across wide and empty plains, rangers keep their unending watch.
Masters of the Hunt
A ranger wields an array of weapons and excels in combat. Their survival skills in the wilderness aid them in tracking prey, ensuring stealth, and evading detection. Blessed with specialized knowledge about specific creature types, rangers easily locate and overcome these foes. Guardians of the untamed, rangers specialize in hunting the menacing threats that encroach upon civilization's fringes—ranging from humanoid marauders and rampaging beasts to monstrous giants and deadly dragons. They master the art of tracking their targets akin to a predator, traversing the wilds with stealth, concealing themselves amidst foliage and debris. Rangers focus their combat prowess on techniques highly effective against their favored foes. Their combat abilities emphasize speed, stealth, and the hunt. A ranger’s talents and abilities are honed with deadly focus on the grim task of protecting the borderlands.
Lone Protectors
The forests harbor cunning and fierce creatures—bloodthirsty owlbears and malevolent displacer beasts. Yet, more formidable than these threats is the ranger, an adept tracker and predator. They possess an intimate understanding of the woods and a meticulous knowledge of their prey. While a ranger might eke out a living as a hunter, guide, or tracker, their true purpose is defending the outskirts of civilization from the onslaught of wild monsters. In certain regions, rangers congregate within secretive orders or align with druidic circles. However, many rangers, almost to a fault, operate independently, recognizing that in the face of a dragon or marauding orcs, they might be the first—and potentially the last—line of defense.
Their staunch independence primes rangers for adventuring, well accustomed to life bereft of the comforts of a warm bed or a steaming bath. Confronted with city-raised adventurers grumbling about the hardships of the wild, rangers respond with a blend of amusement, exasperation, and empathy. However, they swiftly learn that fellow adventurers capable of holding their ground against monstrous adversaries are invaluable, despite the city folk's deficiencies. While coddled urbanites might struggle to fend for themselves or locate freshwater in the wilderness, they compensate with other valuable skills.
While some rangers acquire their training from specialized military units, most refine their skills under solitary mentors who accept them as apprentices and assistants. Those under the tutelage of a particular master may view themselves as comrades or vie amongst themselves for the coveted title of the master's finest student and rightful heir to their mentor's renown.
Elves are frequently drawn to the path of the ranger, feeling at home amidst the woods and possessing the finesse for stealthy movement. Half-elves, inheriting their elf parents' connection to the wilderness, often embrace this class. Humans, adaptable enough to learn forest survival even if not inherently natural to them, often find themselves as rangers. Among the savage humanoids, gnolls frequently adopt the ranger's mantle, employing their skills to stealthily stalk their prey. Half-orcs, disenchanted with the cruelties of human or orc society, might find solace in the ranger's life. Dwarf rangers, though scarce, wield considerable effectiveness. Instead of traversing the surface wilderness, they thrive in the labyrinthine caverns beneath the earth, relentlessly hunting and eradicating the enemies of dwarvenkind. Halfling rangers earn immense respect for their ability to sustain halfling communities while embracing a nomadic lifestyle.
Creating a Ranger
As you create your ranger character, consider the nature of the training that gave you your particular capabilities. Did you train with a single mentor, wandering the wilds together until you mastered the ranger’s ways? Did you leave your apprenticeship, or was your mentor slain—perhaps by the same kind of monster that became your favored enemy? Or perhaps you learned your skills as part of a band of rangers affiliated with a druidic circle, trained in mystic paths as well as wilderness lore. You might be self-taught, a recluse who learned combat skills, tracking, and even a magical connection to nature through the necessity of surviving in the wilds.
What’s the source of your particular hatred of a certain kind of enemy? Did a monster kill someone you loved or destroy your home village? Or did you see too much of the destruction these monsters cause and commit yourself to reining in their depredations? Is your adventuring career a continuation of your work in protecting the borderlands, or a significant change? What made you join up with a band of adventurers? Do you find it challenging to teach new allies the ways of the wild, or do you welcome the relief from solitude that they offer?
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