The forests are home to fierce and cunning creatures, such as bloodthirsty owlbears and malicious displacer beasts. But more cunning and powerful than these monsters is the ranger, a skilled hunter and stalker. He knows the woods as if they were his home (as indeed they are), and he knows his prey in deadly detail.
Adventures: A ranger often accepts the role of protector, aiding those who live in or travel through the woods. In addition, a ranger carries grudges against certain types of creatures and looks for opportunities to find and destroy them. He may adventure for all the reasons that a fighter does.
Characteristics: A ranger can use a variety of weapons and is quite capable in combat. His skills allow him to survive in the wilderness, to find his prey, and to avoid detection. He also has special knowledge about certain types of creatures, which makes it easier for him to find and defeat such foes. Finally, an experienced ranger has such a tie to nature that he can actually draw upon natural power to cast divine spells, much as a druid does.
Alignment: Rangers can be of any alignment. Most are good, and such rangers usually function as protectors of the wild areas. In this role, a ranger seeks out and destroys or drives off evil creatures that threaten the wilderness. Good rangers also protect those who travel through the wilderness, serving sometimes as guides and sometimes as unseen guardians. Most rangers are also chaotic, preferring to follow the ebb and flow of nature or of their own hearts instead of rigid rules. Evil rangers, though rare, are much to be feared. They revel in nature’s thoughtless cruelty and seek to emulate her most fearsome predators. They gain divine spells just as good rangers do, for nature herself is indifferent to good and evil.
Religion: Though a ranger gains his divine spells from the power of nature, he like anyone else may worship a chosen deity. Ehlonna (goddess of the woodlands) and Obad-Hai (god of nature) are the most common deities revered by, though some prefer more martial deities.
Background: Some rangers gained their training as part of special military teams, but most learned their skills from solitary masters who accepted them as students and assistants. The rangers of a particular master may count themselves as cohorts, or they may be rivals for the status of best student and thus the rightful heir to their master’s fame.
Races: Elves often choose the ranger’s path. They are at home in the woods, and they have the grace to move stealthily. Half-elves who feel their elf parents’ connection to the woods are also likely to adopt this class. Humans are often rangers as well, being adaptable enough to learn their way around the woods even if it doesn’t come naturally to them. Half-orcs may find the life of a ranger more comfortable than life among cruel and taunting humans (or orcs). Gnome rangers are more common than gnome fighters, but still they tend to remain in their own lands rather than adventure among “the big people”. Dwarf rangers are rare, but they can be quite effective. Instead of living in the surface wilderness, they are at home in the endless caverns beneath the earth. Here they hunt down and destroy the enemies of dwarvenkind with the relentless precision for which dwarves are known. Dwarf rangers are often known as cavers. Halfling rangers are highly respected for their ability to help communities of halflings prosper as they pursue their nomadic lifestyle.
Among the savage humanoids, only gnolls are commonly rangers, using their skills to slyly stalk their prey.
Other Classes: Rangers get along well with druids and to some extent with barbarians. They are known to bicker with paladins, mostly because they often share goals but differ in style, tactics, approach, philosophy and esthetics. Since rangers don’t often look to other people for support or friendship, they find it easy to tolerate people who are quite different from themselves, such as bookish wizards and preachy clerics. They just don’t care enough to get upset about others’ differences.
Role: The ranger’s best role is that of a scout and secondary combatant. Without the heavy armour of the fighter or the staying power of the barbarian, the ranger should focus on opportunistic and ranged attacks. Most rangers user their animal companions as sentries, scouts, or to assist them in melee combat.
Rangers have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Dexterity is important for a ranger both because he tends to wear light armour and because several ranger skills are based on that ability. Strength is important because rangers frequently get involved in combat. Several ranger skills are based on Wisdom, and a Wisdom score of 14 or higher is required to get access to the most powerful ranger spells. A Wisdom score of 11 or higher is required to cast any ranger spells at all. One of the ranger’s trademark skills, his ability to track foes, is based on Wisdom.
The ranger’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are:
Skill Points at 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) × 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier.
| Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +2 | +0 | 1st Favoured Enemy, Track, Wild Empathy |
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +3 | +0 | Combat Style |
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +3 | +1 | Endurance |
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Animal Companion |
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +4 | +1 | 2nd Favoured Enemy |
| 6th | +6/+1 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Improved Combat Style |
| 7th | +7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Woodland Stride |
| 8th | +8/+3 | +6 | +6 | +2 | Swift Tracker |
| 9th | +9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +3 | Evasion |
| 10th | +10/+5 | +7 | +7 | +3 | 3rd Favoured Enemy |
| 11th | +11/+6/+1 | +7 | +7 | +3 | Combat Style Mastery |
| 12th | +12/+7/+2 | +8 | +8 | +4 | |
| 13th | +13/+8/+3 | +8 | +8 | +4 | Camouflage |
| 14th | +14/+9/+4 | +9 | +9 | +4 | |
| 15th | +15/+10/+5 | +9 | +9 | +5 | 4th Favoured Enemy |
| 16th | +16/+11/+6/+1 | +10 | +10 | +5 | |
| 17th | +17/+12/+7/+2 | +10 | +10 | +5 | Hide in Plain Sight |
| 18th | +18/+13/+8/+3 | +11 | +11 | +6 | |
| 19th | +19/+14/+9/+4 | +11 | +11 | +6 | |
| 20th | +20/+15/+10/+5 | +12 | +12 | +6 | 5th Favoured Enemy |
| Level | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | 0 | — | — | — |
| 5th | 0 | — | — | — |
| 6th | 1 | — | — | — |
| 7th | 1 | — | — | — |
| 8th | 1 | 0 | — | — |
| 9th | 1 | 0 | — | — |
| 10th | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| 11th | 1 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 12th | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 13th | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 14th | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 15th | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 16th | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 17th | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 18th | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 19th | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 20th | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
All of the following are class features of the ranger.
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: A ranger is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and with light armour and shields (except tower shields).
Favoured Enemy (Ex): At 1st level, a ranger may select a type of creature from among those given on Table: Ranger Favoured Enemies. Due to his extensive study of his chosen type of foe and training in the proper techniques for combating such creatures, the ranger gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot and Survival checks when using these skills against creatures of this type. Likewise, he gets a +2 bonus on weapon damage rolls against such creatures.
At 5th level and every five levels thereafter (10th, 15th and 20th level), the ranger may select an additional favoured enemy from those given on the table. In addition, at each such interval, the bonus against any one favoured enemy (including the one just selected, if so desired) increases by 2. For example, a 5th-level ranger has two favoured enemies; against one he gains a +4 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot and Survival checks and weapon damage rolls, and against the other he has a +2 bonus. At 10th level, he has three favoured enemies, and he gains an additional +2 bonus, which he can allocate to the bonus against any one of his three favoured enemies. Thus, his bonuses could be either +4, +4, +2 or +6, +2, +2.
If the ranger chooses humanoids or outsiders as a favoured enemy, he must also choose an associated subtype, as indicated on the table. If a specific creature falls into more than one category of favoured enemy (for instance, devils are both evil outsiders and lawful outsiders), the ranger’s bonuses do not stack; he simply uses whichever bonus is higher.
| Type (Subtype) | Examples |
|---|---|
| Aberration | beholder |
| Animal | bear |
| Construct | golem |
| Dragon | black dragon |
| Elemental | invisible stalker |
| Fey | dryad |
| Giant | ogre |
| Humanoid (aquatic) | merfolk |
| Humanoid (dwarf) | dwarf |
| Humanoid (elf) | elf |
| Humanoid (goblinoid) | hobgoblin |
| Humanoid (gnoll) | gnoll |
| Humanoid (gnome) | gnome |
| Humanoid (halfling) | halfling |
| Humanoid (human) | human |
| Humanoid (orc) | orc |
| Humanoid (reptilian) | kobold |
| Magical beast | displacer beast |
| Monstrous humanoid | minotaur |
| Ooze | gelatinous cube |
| Outsider (air) | arrowhawk |
| Outsider (chaotic) | demon |
| Outsider (earth) | xorn |
| Outsider (evil) | devil |
| Outsider (fire) | salamander |
| Outsider (good) | angel |
| Outsider (lawful) | formian |
| Outsider (native) | tiefling |
| Outsider (water) | tojanida |
| Plant | shambling mound |
| Undead | zombie |
| Vermin | monstrous spider |
Track: A ranger gains Track as a bonus feat.
Wild Empathy (Ex): A ranger can use body language, vocalizations and demeanor to improve the attitude of an animal (such as a bear or a monitor lizard). This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check to improve the attitude of a person. The ranger rolls 1d20 and adds his ranger level and his Charisma modifier to determine the wild empathy check result. 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 able to study each other, which means that they 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.
The ranger can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2 (such as a basilisk or a girallon), but he takes a -4 penalty on the check.
Combat Style (Ex): At 2nd level, a ranger must select one of two combat styles to pursue: archery or two-weapon combat. This choice affects the character’s class features but does not restrict his selection of feats or special abilities in any way.
If the ranger selects archery, he is treated as having the Rapid Shotfeat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
If the ranger selects two-weapon combat, he is treated as having the Two-Weapon Fighting feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
The benefits of the ranger’s chosen style apply only when he wears light or no armour. He loses all benefits of his combat style when wearing medium or heavy armour.
Endurance: A ranger gains Endurance as a bonus feat at 3rd level.
Animal Companion (Ex): At 4th level, a ranger gains an animal companion selected from the following list: badger, camel, dire rat, dog, riding dog, eagle, hawk, horse (light or heavy), owl, pony, snake (Small or Medium viper) or wolf. If the campaign takes place wholly or partly in an aquatic environment, the following creatures may be added to the ranger’s list of options: crocodile, porpoise, Medium shark and squid. This animal is a loyal companion that accompanies the ranger on his adventures as appropriate for its kind. (For instance, an aquatic creature can’t adventure with a ranger on land and shouldn’t be selected by a non-aquatic character without extenuating circumstances). In most cases, the animal companion functions as a mount, sentry, scout or hunting animal, rather than as a protector.
This ability functions like the druid ability of the same name, except that the ranger’s effective druid level is one-half his ranger level. For example, the animal companion of a 4th-level ranger would be the equivalent of a 2nd-level druid’s animal companion. A ranger may select from the alternative lists of animal companions just as a druid can, though again his effective druid level is half his ranger level. Thus, he must be at least an 8th-level ranger to select from the druid’s list of 4th-level animal companions, and if he chooses one of those animals, his effective druid level would be reduced by 3, to 1st level. Like a druid, a ranger cannot select an alternative animal if the choice would reduce his effective druid level below 1st.
Spells: Beginning at 4th level, a ranger gains the ability to cast a small number of divine spells (the same type of spells available to the cleric, druid and paladin), which are drawn from the ranger spell list. A ranger must choose and prepare his spells in advance (see below).
To prepare or cast a spell, a ranger must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level (Wis 11 for 1st-level spells, Wis 12 for 2nd-level spells, and so forth). 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 Spells per Day. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Wisdom score. When Table: Ranger Spells per Day indicates that the ranger gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level (for instance, 1st-level spells for a 4th-level ranger), he gains only the bonus spells he would be entitled to based on his Wisdom score for that spell level. The ranger does not have access to any domain spells or granted powers, as a cleric does.
A ranger prepares and casts spells the way a cleric does, though he cannot lose a prepared spell to cast a cure spell in its place. 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.
Through 3rd level, a ranger has no caster level. At 4th level and higher, his caster level is one-half his ranger level.
Improved Combat Style (Ex): At 6th level, a ranger’s aptitude in his chosen combat style (archery or two-weapon combat) improves. If he selected archery at 2nd level, he is treated as having the Manyshot feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
If the ranger selected two-weapon combat at 2nd level, he is treated as having the Improved Two-Weapon Fighting feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
As before, the benefits of the ranger’s chosen style apply only when he wears light or no armour. He loses all benefits of his combat style when wearing medium or heavy armour.
Woodland Stride (Ex): Starting at 7th level, a ranger may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas and similar terrain) at his normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. However, thorns, briars and overgrown areas that are enchanted or magically manipulated to impede motion still affect him.
Swift Tracker (Ex): Beginning at 8th level, a ranger can move at his normal speed while following tracks without taking the normal -5 penalty. He takes only a -10 penalty (instead of the normal -20) when moving at up to twice normal speed while tracking.
Evasion (Ex): At 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 (such as a red dragon’s fiery breath or a fireball), he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the ranger is wearing light armour or no armour. A helpless ranger does not gain the benefit of evasion.
Combat Style Mastery (Ex): At 11th level, a ranger’s aptitude in his chosen combat style (archery or two-weapon combat) improves again. If he selected archery at 2nd level, he is treated as having the Improved Precise Shot feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
If the ranger selected two-weapon combat at 2nd level, he is treated as having the Greater Two-Weapon Fighting feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
As before, the benefits of the ranger’s chosen style apply only when he wears light or no armour. He loses all benefits of his combat style when wearing medium or heavy armour.
Camouflage (Ex): A ranger of 13th level or higher can use the Hide skill in any sort of natural terrain, even if the terrain doesn’t grant cover or concealment.
Hide in Plain Sight (Ex): While in any sort of natural terrain, a ranger of 17th level or higher can use the Hide skill even while being observed.
Source: Player’s Handbook (Page 46)
Rangers choose their spells from the following list:
See Mystic Ranger.
See Ranger Variant: Planar Ranger.
See Predator Ranger.
See Ranger Variant: Urban Ranger.
See Complete Warrior Paladins and Rangers without Spellcasting.
See Wild Defender.
See Complete Mage Class Features: Arcane Hunter.
See Stormwrack Class Features: Aquatic Ranger.
See Exemplars of Evil: Celestial Slayer.
See Complete Champion Class Features: Champion of the Wild.
See Optional Ranger Combat Styles.
See Cityscape Urban Class Features: Crowd-Walker.
See Dead Levels: Ranger.
See Player’s Handbook II: Distracting Attack.
See Eberron Campaign Setting: Ranger.
See Favoured Enemy Variant: Favoured Environment.
See Exemplars of Evil: Feign Death.
See Frostburn Class Features: Frostfell Ranger.
See Pathfinder Chronicles: Ranger.
See Cityscape Urban Class Features: Hidden Stalker.
See Martial Cultures.
See Draconic Class Features: Phynxkin Companion.
See Cityscape Urban Class Features: Rival Organization.
See Cityscape Urban Class Features: Skilled City-Dweller.
See Lost Ones: Solitary Hunting.
See Complete Mage Class Features: Spell Reflection.
See Complete Champion Class Features: Spiritual Connection.
See Complete Champion Class Features: Spiritual Guide.
See Dungeonscape Class Features: Trap Expert.
See Cityscape Urban Class Features: Urban Companion.
See Cityscape Urban Class Features: Urban Tracker.
See Cityscape Urban Class Features: Voice of the City.
See Sandstorm Class Features: Wasteland Ranger.
See Races of the Wild Substitution Levels: Elf Ranger.
See Champions of Valor Substitution Levels: Fangshields Ranger.
See Races of Destiny Substitution Levels: Half-Elf Ranger.
See Races of Stone Substitution Levels: Gnome Ranger.
See Races of the Dragon Substitution Levels: Kobold Ranger.
See Eye of the Night: Moon-Warded Ranger.
See Planar Handbook Substitution Levels: Ranger.
See Champions of Valor Substitution Levels: Shadow Sword.
See Races of Eberron Substitution Levels: Shifter Ranger.