The Player’s Handbook features two combat styles for rangers: archery and two-weapon fighting. History and fantasy abound with stories of hunters and woodsmen who master such weapons as the longbow, the quarterstaff or the twin blades. However, rangers use many other weapons as well. This article presents five new combat styles for rangers to choose from. The ranger gains the listed feats for the chosen combat style at the appropriate levels, as in the combat style class feature.
Some rangers eschew weapons and fight with their bare hands. Unlike the graceful style of the monk, the beast wrestler relies on his brute strength to subdue his foes. Originally practiced by rangers living in marshy areas to capture and move dangerous animals (such as crocodiles) without harming them, some adventurous rangers apply these techniques to more exotic foes. Most beast wrestlers choose animal or magical beast as their first favoured enemy.
Combat Style (2nd): Improved Unarmed Strike
Improved Combat Style (6th): Improved Grapple
Combat Style Mastery (11th): Stunning Fist
With their special rapport with animals, rangers readily take to riding. A mounted ranger can use her mount in combat, especially when she utilizes the mounted combat style. Such rangers often choose a horse, riding dog or some exotic mount as an animal companion, and augment their style with feats from the Mounted Combat feat tree.
Combat Style (2nd): Ride-By Attack
Improved Combat Style (6th): Spirited Charge
Combat Style Mastery (11th): Trample
Wielding a net in one hand and a melee weapon (typically a trident) in the other, a ranger trained in the piscator style attempts to entangle or trip his foes before striking in melee. Many masters of this style take Power Attack to deal more damage after successfully tripping a foe. Although originated by the sahuagin, rangers of other aquatic races, as well as coastal fishers and even some gladiators, have adopted this style.
Combat Style (2nd): Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Net)
Improved Combat Style (6th): Improved Trip
Combat Style Mastery (11th): Improved Critical
The ranger using the strong-arm style wades into battle wielding the largest weapon she can. She relies on strength and the weight of steel to break through her opponent’s defenses. Feats such as Great Fortitude, Toughness and those from the Power Attack feat tree augment this combat style. Many rangers who utilize this style come from nomadic tribal cultures.
Combat Style (2nd): Power Attack
Improved Combat Style (6th): Improved Sunder
Combat Style Mastery (11th): Great Cleave
The bow isn’t the only ranged weapon favoured by rangers; halflings have developed their own ranged combat style that employs their favourite ranged weapons — those they can throw. This style has found favour with some nomadic humans and barbaric humanoids. Like the archery style, practitioners of the throwing style try to maintain distance from opponents. Most take additional feats from the Point-Blank Shot feat tree. Clever rangers also use this style to toss holy water vials at undead, acid vials and alchemist’s fire at trolls and tanglefoot bags at those they wish to capture.
Combat Style (2nd): Quick Draw
Improved Combat Style (6th): Point-Blank Shot
Combat Style Mastery (11th): Far Shot
Source: Dragon Magazine #326 (Page 97)