Ranger

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Description

Oh, man, the Ranger. How many wolf-loving Aragorn clones have you seen out of this class? Yeah, us too.

This version of the Ranger changes a few things, but it's still all the outdoorsy goodness you could ever want. It's a lot less 'mystical elf' junk and a lot more gritty 'Last of the Mohicans' meets 'Jeremiah Johnson'. I mean, we wanted to make it a rule that Rangers must have massively gnarly man-beards, but decided against it at the last minute.

An example: Rangers don't cast spells any more. Nah, screw that, it sucked. Instead, Rangers can use herbs and tree bark and moose-poo and stuff to make stinky poultices. The poultices do the same things the spells used to do, but get this: The Ranger can GIVE THEM TO PEOPLE. He can give other people Lead Blades poultices!

And incredible as it may seem, the herb-lore poultice thing is only the second best party trick they have, wolf-pack tactics is just incredible!

Yeah, this version of the Ranger is an out-doorsy, hunting/tracking/trapping, damage-dealing monster like always, but he's also one of the best party buffers in the game! I mean, have you SEEN what teamwork feats do?

But hey, don't take our word on it, play one! They're incredible!

Alignment: Any

Hit Die: d8

Starting Wealth: Each character begins play with basic (non-armor) clothing worth 10 gp or less.

Class Skills: The ranger's class skills are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Skill Ranks per Level: 6 + Int modifier.

Table: Ranger

Level	BAB	Fort	Refl	Will	Quarry Pool	Special	1st	2nd	3rd	4th
1st	+1	2	2	0	1d10	Quarry Pool, Track, Trapper	-	-	-	-
2nd	+2	3	3	0	1d10	Combat Style Feat	-	-	-	-
3rd	+3	3	3	1	1d10	Endurance	-	-	-	-
4th	+4	4	4	1	2d10	Herb Lore	0	-	-	-
5th	+5	4	4	1	2d10	Wolf Pack Tactics	0	-	-	-
6th	+6/+1	5	5	2	2d10	Combat Style Feat	1	-	-	-
7th	+7/+2	5	5	2	3d10	Advanced Herb Lore, Woodland Stride	1	0	-	-
8th	+8/+3	6	6	2	3d10	Swift Tracker	1	0	-	-
9th	+9/+4	6	6	3	3d10	Evasion	1	1	-	-
10th	+10/+5	7	7	3	4d10	Expert Herb Lore, Combat Style Feat	1	1	0	-
11th	+11/+6/+1	7	7	3	4d10	Quarry, Monster Lore	2	1	0	-
12th	+12/+7/+2	8	8	4	4d10	Camouflage	2	1	1	-
13th	+13/+8/+3	8	8	4	5d10	Herb Lore Mastery	2	1	1	0
14th	+14/+9/+4	9	9	4	5d10	Combat Style Feat	2	2	1	0
15th	+15/+10/+5	9	9	5	5d10	Perfect Wolf Pack Tactics	2	2	1	1
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	10	10	5	6d10	Improved Evasion	3	2	1	1
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	10	10	5	6d10	Hide In Plain Sight	3	2	2	1
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	11	11	6	6d10	Combat Style Feat	3	2	2	1
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	11	11	6	7d10	Improved Quarry	3	3	2	1
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	12	12	6	7d10	Master Hunter	3	3	2	2

Class Abilities

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

A ranger is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with light armor, medium armor, and shields (except tower shields).

Track (Ex)

A ranger adds half his level (minimum 1) to Survival skill checks made to follow or identify tracks.

Quarry Pool (Ex)

The ranger is more wild than civilized people, and as a result a ranger likes a lot of space. Whenever a ranger is ten feet or more away from any PC ally, he may use his honed hunter's instincts to their fullest effect. This is simulated by the Quarry ability. Whenever a ranger starts his turn ten feet or more from any PC ally, his Quarry Pool refreshes and he may use it freely for that round, even if he moves closer to an ally during the round. A ranger gets a quarry pool of one or more dice which refreshes at the start of each of his turns. At any point after a successful attack roll, the ranger may assign one or more of these dice to the damage roll of the attack, using them up until the pool refreshes next round. At higher levels, dice from this pool may be used for temporary abilities instead of damage (see Quarry, Improved Quarry, Master Hunter abilities). The Quarry pool is a type of precision damage when applied to weapon attacks.

Trapper (Ex)

A ranger has the ability to set traps. To use this ability requires that the ranger acquire a focus item trap for each trap he wishes to set. A trap focus weighs three pounds and costs ten gold, and is not consumed when the trapper ability is used. For a ranger to set a trap in a square takes a full round action. Ranger traps are not small, and cannot be applied to items, doors, or locks. In general, they require a full five foot square of space, and only one may be set per square. To see a Ranger trap requires greater than animal intelligence and a Perception check against a DC of half Ranger level+10. Anyone can disarm a ranger trap with a Dex roll versus a DC of half Ranger level +10. If a character has Disable Device they may roll that with a bonus of +5 on the roll due to the size and comparative crudity of a ranger trap.

If a creature enters a space containing a ranger trap, the trap rolls to hit them. Traps cannot make critical attacks, although a natural roll of a 20 always hits. The trap has the same BAB as the ranger that set the trap, minus any to-hit bonuses afforded by the ranger's weapon enhancement bonus. Hit or miss, the trap is neutralized after rolling to hit, and the focus can be recovered from the square. If the trap hits, it does 1d4 of bonus damage and immobilizes the target. To free yourself from the Immobilized condition takes greater than animal intelligence and a full round action, or you may roll an Escape Artist check against a DC of ranger level +10 to free yourself as a move action.

Out of combat, the ranger may set as many traps as he wishes, although the GM is encouraged to discourage players that get utterly ridiculous with it. (We're looking at the guys with Handy Haversack's full of 233 trap foci. Just...don't.). In combat, the ranger may have a number of squares trapped equal to his str or dex mod.

Combat Style Feat (Ex)

At 2nd level, a ranger must select one combat style to pursue. The ranger's expertise manifests in the form of bonus feats at 2nd, 6th, 10th, 14th, and 18th level. He can choose feats from his selected combat style, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites.

The benefits of the ranger's chosen style feats apply only when he wears light, medium, or no armor. He loses all benefits of his combat style feats when wearing heavy armor. Once a ranger selects a combat style, it cannot be changed.

Combat Style Options

Archer

If the ranger selects archery style, he can choose from the following list whenever he gains a combat style feat:

• Deadly Aim, Far Shot, Focused Shot, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Prone Shooter, and Rapid Reload.
• At 6th level, he adds Crossbow Mastery, Improved Precise Shot, Parting Shot, and Point Blank Master to the list.
• At 10th level, he adds Impact Critical Shot, Pinpoint Targeting, Shot on the Run and Snap Shot to the list.

Two-Weapon Fighter

If the Ranger selects two-weapon fighting style, he may choose to permanently reduce his Quarry Pool by 1 die in order to add his DEX modifier to all melee to-hit rolls. In addition, he can choose from the following list whenever he gains a combat style feat:

• Double Slice, Improved Shield Bash, Quick Draw, Two-Weapon Fighting, Aspect of the Beast, Improved Natural Weapon, Rending Claws, and Weapon Focus.
• At 6th level, he adds Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Defense, and Eldritch Claws to the list.
• At 10th level, he adds Greater Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Rend, and Multiattack to the list.

Endurance

A ranger gains Endurance as a bonus feat at 3rd level.

Herb Lore (Su)

Beginning at 4th level, every 24 hours, if the ranger has access to herbs, plants, and/or animals he can brew poultices that grant any of the effects a 1st level ranger spell provides. The Ranger can access these herbs, plants, and/or animals in any uncivilized natural area as can a Druid, but a Ranger is less picky and more adaptable than a Druid. A Ranger can also access the things he needs to brew poultices in farmland, gardens, and parks. Essentially, nearly any access to plants and other growing things will allow him to 'whip something up.'

The ranger can make a number of poultices per day equal to the number shown on Table: Ranger. A ranger with a high wisdom may gain additional poultices per day, as detailed on the Bonus Spells Table. A Poultice degrades 24-hours after it is made, but it may be used by whomever the ranger wants to give it to. A poultice that is stolen or taken by force is still potent.

The ranger may make different poultices every 24 hours, as long as he has access to raw materials (any environment with plants, or any uncivilized natural area). The ranger is assumed to have enough time during a full night's rest to perform these activities. Note: The raw materials must be of considerable extent. A small herb garden in a back yard is more than sufficient. A window planter full of flowers and herbs is barely adequate for a single day's worth of poultices. Carrying a potted plant and claiming it's enough should earn the player the wrath of the GM, and rightly so.

Applying a poultice is (usually) a standard action, and the effect of the poultice determines where the poultice needs to be applied (on the target's body, their weapon, sprinkled over a patch of ground, etc.). Players are encouraged to work with the GM to come up with descriptions of how the poultice produces the desired effect in cases when it's not completely clear how a poultice could achieve the desired outcome (e.g. the returning weapon poultice might actually be a very springy rope attached to the weapon). If a player is having a difficult time visualizing poultice effects,"It's magic" is a perfectly valid description option.

In general, using a poultice provokes attacks of opportunities, whether it is thrown, consumed, sprinkled, or applied. Unlike standard potions, the user may make a concentration check to 'combat-cast' the poultice. Targeted poultices generally follow the rules of the spell being mimicked, unless the player and GM agree to a description that changes it. The player and GM must agree on the descriptive application of the poultice, as some environmental conditions or enemy tactics may interfere with a poultice in ways that spells cannot normally be disrupted. Descriptions may sometimes result in the need for more than a single standard action to apply the poultice. While this does reduce the power of the core ranger class's spell abilities, it is balanced by the fact that, unlike spells, poultices can be given to allies to use at their convenience.

Poultices are not necessarily magical, though they might contain magical herbs in their concoction. As such, passing through an anti-magic field may destroy prepared poultices, depending on their descriptive effects. If the player's description of the poultice is convincingly non-magical, such poultices would be immune to anti-magic or dispel effects. Players are encouraged to be creative, and should re-use descriptions they're happy with, or revise them if they come up with new ideas. Rangers using Herb Lore are constantly improving their recipes and adapting to the herbs they have available, so changes to descriptions are perfectly acceptable. However, once a poultice of a particular effect has been created, the description for it and other poultices granting the same effect cannot be changed until a new batch of poultices is created.

The Caster Level of any effects created by a poultice is always the Ranger level of the Ranger who brewed the poultice. Caster feats, such as spell penetration or selective casting are still effective with poultices.

Advanced Herb Lore (Su)

Beginning at 7th level, the ranger may make poultices which mimic the effects of any 1st or 2nd level ranger spell.

Expert Herb Lore (Su)

Beginning at 10th level, the ranger may make poultices which mimic the effects of any 1st, 2nd or 3rd level ranger spells.

Herb Lore Mastery (Su)

Beginning at 13th level, the ranger may make poultices which mimic the effects of 1st through 4th level ranger spells.

Wolf Pack Tactics (Ex)

At 5th level, the ranger may select a teamwork feat as a bonus feat. As a swift action, the ranger may select one ally within 30 feet and bestow the use of this feat (and any other teamwork feats the ranger picks up) as though both the ranger and the ally had it/them. The ally can make use of the feat(s) until the start of the ranger's next turn. The ranger may choose the same ally or a different one (within 30 feet) each time they use this ability. No more than one ally may be granted this ability in a given round.

Perfect Wolf Pack Tactics (Ex)

At 15th level, the ranger may grant all allies within 30 feet of her the benefit of any teamwork feats the ranger has, as a swift action, as though they had all taken the feats themselves. This benefit lasts until the start of the ranger's next turn.

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.

Thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that are enchanted or magically manipulated to impede motion, however, still affect him.

Swift Tracker (Ex)

Beginning at 8th level, a ranger can move at his normal speed while using Survival to follow 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)

When he reaches 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, he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the ranger is wearing light armor, medium armor, or no armor. A helpless ranger does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Monster Lore (Ex)

At 11th level, rangers may make checks to determine information about any monster encountered, using the highest knowledge skill they posess, even if they are not trained in the correct knowledge skill. This ability can only be used to learn lore on a monster the ranger is currently perceiving. The ranger must still use the appropriate knowledge skill for general knowledge checks.

Quarry (Ex)

At 11th level, a ranger can, as a swift action, denote one target within his line of sight as his quarry. Whenever he is following the tracks of his quarry, a ranger can take 10 on his Survival skill checks while moving at normal speed, without penalty. In addition, he receives a +2 insight bonus to AC versus attacks made by the quarry. A ranger can have no more than one quarry at a time. This effect cannot be dismissed until the quarry is slain, or the ranger gets 8 hours of rest. If the quarry is slain, the ranger may select a new quarry at any time with a swift action.

A ranger may use Quarry Pool dice as a free action to gain the following benefits:

• Trade 1 or more quarry dice to do 3 points of damage per die to any enemy that strikes you with a melee attack before the start of your next turn. This damage cannot be reduced by DR, and the damage is dealt each time you are struck. (Stackable)

Stackable means you can use more than 1 quarry die to gain the effect more than once.

Camouflage (Ex)

A ranger of 12th level or higher can use the Stealth skill to hide, even if the terrain doesn't grant cover or concealment.

Improved Evasion (Ex)

At 16th level, a ranger's evasion improves. This ability works like evasion, except that while the ranger still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks, he henceforth takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless ranger does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.

Hide in Plain Sight (Ex)

A ranger of 17th level or higher can use the Stealth skill even while being observed.

Improved Quarry (Ex)

At 19th level, the ranger's ability to hunt his quarry improves. He can now take 20 while using Survival to track his quarry, while moving at normal speed without penalty. Additionally, all critical threats against the quarry are automatically confirmed.

A ranger may use Quarry Pool dice as a free action to gain the following benefits:

• Trade 2 quarry dice to add WIS modifier to any attack rolls made against quarry until the start of the Ranger's next turn. (Not stackable)
• Trade 1 quarry die to add 2 to the ranger's crit range on his next attack roll made against quarry. (Not stackable, but usable more than once per round)

Master Hunter (Ex)

A ranger of 20th level becomes a master hunter. He can always move at full speed while using Survival to follow tracks without penalty. He may also maintain a number of quarries equal to his WIS modifier, but he must still use a swift action to mark each target as a quarry.

A ranger may use Quarry Pool dice as a free action to gain the following benefits:

• Trade 1 quarry die to take a free 5-foot step. (Stackable)

Epic Ranger

Table: Epic Ranger

Level	BAB	Fort	Refl	Will	Quarry Pool	Special	1st	2nd	3rd	4th
21st	+21/+16/+11/+6	+13	+13	+7	8d10	Ridge Runner, Sharpshooter	4	3	2	2
22nd	+21/+16/+11/+6	+13	+13	+7	8d10	Skinner	4	3	3	2
23rd	+22/+17/+12/+7	+14	+14	+8	9d10	Epic Trapper	4	3	3	2
24th	+22/+17/+12/+7	+14	+14	+8	10d10	Lord of the Hunt	4	4	3	2
25th	+23/+18/+13/+8	+15	+15	+9	10d10	The Fanged Fury	4	4	3	3
26th	+23/+18/+13/+8	+15	+15	+9	11d10	Skiver	5	4	3	3
27th	+24/+19/+14/+9	+16	+16	+10	12d10	Hinterlander	5	4	4	3
28th	+24/+19/+14/+9	+16	+16	+10	12d10	Master Trapper	5	4	4	3
29th	+25/+20/+15/+10	+17	+17	+11	13d10	Deadeye	5	5	4	3
30th	+25/+20/+15/+10	+17	+17	+11	14d10	Flayer	5	5	4	4
31st	+26/+21/+16/+11	+18	+18	+12	14d10	The Horned God	6	5	4	4
32nd	+26/+21/+16/+11	+18	+18	+12	15d10	Mountaineer	6	5	5	4
33rd	+27/+22/+17/+12	+19	+19	+13	16d10	Steel Jaws Lurk	6	5	5	4
34th	+27/+22/+17/+12	+19	+19	+13	16d10	Flenser	6	6	5	4
35th	+28/+23/+18/+13	+20	+20	+14	17d10	Alpha	6	6	5	5
36th	Apotheosis!

Epic Class Abilities

Ridge Runner (Su)

Beginning at 21st level, a Ranger is comfortable in the wild, but they are not of the wild. A Ranger is, in many ways, the herald of civilization, blazing trails, exploring, hunting and trapping. The Epic Ranger is able to lay their will upon the land they dwell within and make it their own. Once per day, if the Ranger spends an hour in quiet thought, she may change the terrain type of the land around her for a mile in every direction from 'natural' to 'frontier.' Any creatures or beings in that terrain which gain benefits from 'natural' terrain, lose those benefits. The area affected by this ability is a square, two miles on a side, with the ranger in the center. This change to the terrain type persists as long as the Ranger remains within this area, and fades one week after the ranger has left the area. The Ranger may have as many frontier territories as he may maintain, and with Ridge Runner, you may see an epic Ranger roving constantly to use this ability to drive back the wilderness.

Sharpshooter (Ex)

Beginning at 21st level, the Ranger may add their ranger level to the damage of one attack made with a projectile weapon each round.

Skinner (Ex)

At Level 22, the Ranger's melee damage increases. Each round, any Quarry dice the Ranger has not spent for powers may be applied to two successful melee attacks.

Epic Trapper (Su)

Beginning at 23rd level, once per encounter, as an immediate action, during another creature's movement(that the Ranger can currently see), the Ranger may declare that the square they are about to leave has a trap in it, which immediately activates. To use this ability requires that the ranger have a specially made trap focus that weighs three pounds and costs 100 gold. This trap focus is consumed by this use. The Ranger rolls a melee attack against the targeted creature using their highest BAB. This attack roll is considered a bonus attack, and inflicts bonus damage. The trap cannot achieve a critical hit, although a roll of a natural 20 always hits. The ranger can use their normal attack modifiers to improve their chances to hit. If they successfully hit the targeted creature, they may roll their Quarry dice for damage, the creature is immobilized as normal for a ranger trap, and upon escaping from the trap the creature is affected as if the Ranger struck them with the Pin Down and Stand Still feats.

Lord of the Hunt (Ex)

The Master Hunter ability improves at level 24 so that the Ranger gains +5 on all tracking rolls. In addition, the Ranger may now attempt to track beings and creatures who leave no tracks at all, such as Dryads and Druids using Trackless Step. This is a test similar to rogues with Uncanny Dodge attempting to avoid back stabs, namely, you have to be four levels higher than the target in order to track it.

The Fanged Fury (Ex)

At level 25, the Ranger gains a bonus teamwork feat. In addition, once per encounter the feat granted by Perfect Wolf Pack Tactics lasts until the end of the encounter.

Skiver (Ex)

At 26th level, the Ranger's melee damage increases. Each round, any Quarry dice the Ranger has not spent for powers may be applied to three successful melee attacks.

Hinterlander (Su)

Starting at 27th level, the Ranger's Ridge Runner ability improves. Once per day, after an hour of cogitating, the Ranger changes the terrain type in all directions a number of miles equal to her Ranger level. The area affected by this ability is a square with sides equal to Ranger Level x2, with the Ranger in the center. This change to the terrain type persists as long as the Ranger remains within this area, and fades one week after the ranger has left the area. The Ranger may have as many frontier territories as he may maintain, and you may see an epic Ranger roving constantly to use this ability to drive back the wilderness.

Master Trapper (Su)

Beginning at 28th level, the ranger's Epic Trapper ability improves so that she may use it once every round, as long as they have trap focii.

Deadeye (Su)

Beginning at 29th level, once each round, when the Ranger uses his Sharpshooter ability to add his class level to the damage of a projectile weapon, he may also add his Quarry dice. This use of the Quarry dice does not count against the Rangers ability to use the Quarry dice in other ways.

Flayer (Ex)

At 30th level, the Ranger's melee damage improves again. Each round, any Quarry pool dice the Ranger has not expended to power abilities may be rolled up to four times, assuming four successful melee attacks are made.

The Horned God (Ex)

At 31st level, Lord of the Hunt improves so that the Ranger gains +10 on all tracking rolls. In addition, the Ranger may now attempt to track beings and creatures who leave no tracks at all, such as Dryads and Druids using Trackless Step. This is a test similar to rogues with Uncanny Dodge attempting to avoid back stabs, except the Ranger gains +8 effective levels for the test.

Mountaineer (Su)

The Ranger's Hinterlander ability improves at level 32. A number of times per day equal to 1 plus her wisdom modifier, minimum 2, the Ranger changes the terrain type in all directions a number of miles equal to her Ranger level. The use of Mountaineer is a full round action, and can be undertaken in combat. The area affected by this ability is a square with sides equal to Ranger Level x2, with the Ranger in the center. This change to the terrain type persists as long as the Ranger remains within this area, and fades one week after the ranger has left the area. The Ranger may have as many frontier territories as he may maintain, and you may see an epic Ranger roving constantly to use this ability to drive back the wilderness.

Steel Jaws Lurk (Su)

At level 33, the Ranger's Master Trapper ability improves further. If the Ranger uses it to target other creatures during their movement, the Ranger may now use it twice a round, each round, and gets their full Quarry dice pool as bonus damage each time, for as long as they have trap foci to expend. In addition, once per encounter as a swift action, the Ranger may designate a number of squares equal to his Str mod on the encounter board as being trapped. This ability uses up a number of his trap foci equal to the number of squares trapped, and if he lacks enough foci this ability fails. Once so declared, any creature which enters these squares, friend or foe, suffers an attack at the Ranger's highest BAB and if struck, takes the Ranger's Quarry dice as damage. These traps are not concealed, and are marked on the encounter map for all to see. This use is in addition to the normal use of the Rangers master trapper ability.

Flenser (Ex)

At 34th level, the Ranger's melee damage improves again. Each round, any Quarry pool dice the Ranger has not expended to power abilities may be rolled up to five times, assuming five successful melee attacks are made.

Alpha (Ex)

At level 35, Fanged Fury can be used once per round, and all feats granted last until the end of the encounter.