RANGER
Rangers are fighting-men who are adept at woodcraft, tracking, scouting, infiltration, and spying. There are three informal orders of rangers, each depending on the view of the members toward civilization and society as a whole.
True Rangers adhere to a set of ethics and morals on the side of Lawful and Good, believing that their skills and talents are to be used for the protection of the Civilization of Men in opposition to the savage barbarism of the Wilds. They range far and wide across the Wilds, protecting hamlets and lone travelers, rooting out goblins and other monstrous creatures, and pushing the worst that the Wilds has to offer back to foster the growth and well-being of Civilization. True Rangers are Lawful Good, Lawful Neutral, Neutral Good, or rarely Chaotic Good. They revere gods of Law and Good and cooperate with clergy of such temples. Half-Elves and Humans may be true Rangers.
Woodsmen believe in the maintenance of a Balance between Civilization and Nature. They do not view the Chaos of the Wilds as a redoubt of the enemy; nor do they value the Law of Civilization as a necessary good. They seek a stable, steady, sustainable growth of Civilization, Nature, and the Wilds, believing that the Civilization of sentient beings is inseparable from Nature and that to seek the growth of one at the cost of another is unnatural. Woodsmen are Lawful Neutral, Neutral Good, True Neutral, Neutral Evil, or Chaotic Neutral. They revere Neutral gods of Nature, and as such are allies of druids and bards. Elves, Half-Elves, Half-Orcs, Humans, and Orcs may be Woodsmen.
Marauders are the polar opposites of True Rangers. They are the Chaos of the Wilds incarnate. They seek to tear down Civilization, raze it such that stone does not stand upon stone, and let the fields of village and hamlet run riot with bracken and weeds. They believe that Might makes Right, that Chaos is the natural state of existence, and that the Strong should be free to do as they please. Marauders are Chaotic Evil, Chaotic Neutral, Neutral Evil, or rarely Lawful Evil. They often revere gods of Chaos and Evil, and work with the clergy of such temples when they have common cause. Half-Orcs, Humans, and Orcs may be Marauders.
Prime Requisite: Strength, Intelligence, and Wisdom. +5% Experience for Strength, Intelligence, and Wisdom 13-15, +10% for Strength, Intelligence, and Wisdom 16-18.
Minimum Ability Scores: Strength 12, Dexterity 6, Constitution 15, Intelligence 12, Wisdom 12, and Charisma 6.
Racial Level Limits: Elves 6th, Half-Elves 8th, Half-Orcs 8th, Humans U, and Orcs 6th.
Hit Dice: Ranger use eight-sided dice (d8) to determine hit points. Rangers begin play at 1st level with two hit dice, and gain one hit die per level up to and including 9th level. Two hit points are gained per level after 9th, with Constitution modifiers no longer applicable.
Armor: Rangers may wear any armor, but certain wilderness skills of the ranger are unusable or suffer penalties if the ranger wears armor other than padded, leather, studded leather, scale mail, chain mail, helmet (though not great helm), and shield.
Fight As: Fighter
Proficient Weapons: Any (save for foreign and esoteric weapons).
Non-Proficiency Penalty: -2
Guardian of Law/Defender of Balance/Reiver of Chaos: This ability provides the ranger with a bonus to damage versus a specific range of beings, dependent upon the ranger’s alliance. The bonus is equal to +1 to damage per two levels of the ranger rounded up, thus +1 at 1st and 2nd level, +2 at 3rd and 4th level, +6 at 11th and 12th level, etc.. True Rangers are Guardians of Law, and gain a bonus against the monstrous humanoid and giant races of the Wilds. This includes kobolds, goblins, orcs (and half-orcs), hobgoblins, gnolls, bugbears, ogres, and giants. Marauders are Reivers of Chaos, and gain a bonus against dwarves, elves (and half-elves), gnomes, halflings, and humans. Defenders of Balance gain the bonus against any creatures in the above lists if they are upsetting the Balance in the Woodsman’s native territory. A Woodsman would not gain the bonus against a goblin that was merely passing through his forest, but he would gain the bonus against a goblin that was raiding the hamlets in his forest.
Favored Enemy: The ranger must choose a “favored enemy” at 2nd level. The ranger has studied this one specific race, extensively, and thus gains even further bonuses against beings of that type. This must be a specific race or species, such as goblin, owlbear, human, or hill giant; culture such as French, Brazilian, or Mongol; or society, such as League of Assassins, Rangers of the North, or Brotherhood of Chaos. The ranger has a bonus of +1 bonus to damage against his favored enemy for every even level and +1 bonus to hit at every 4th level. Thus, +1 damage at 2nd, +1 to hit and +2 damage at 4th, +1 to hit and +3 damage at 6th, +2 to hit and +4 damage at 8th, and so on. The ranger’s ability to identify and follow the tracks of his favored enemy increases by 5% per bonus point to damage; thus +10% at 4th, +30% at 12th, and so forth. The bonuses of this ability stack with those of Guardian of Law, Defender of Balance, or Reiver of Chaos, if applicable.
Wilderness Survival Skills: All rangers have the ability to move silently in the wilderness, hear noise in the wilderness, and hide in the wilderness. These function as the similar abilities for thieves of the same level, but only fully in outdoor wilderness locales with appropriate cover. Indoors, in a dungeon, the ranger halves any use of these abilities (rounded down). A ranger who is alone or only with a group consisting of barbarians, elves, halflings, and rangers is surprised only on a 1 in 6 chance, surprising foes on a 3 in 6 chance.
A ranger can always scrounge up food in the wilderness for himself. By using a tracking roll he can spend 1d6 hours in the wilds hunting and gathering food for others. On a successful roll he finds enough food to feed a number of companions equal to his level plus 1d6. On a roll of 00 he has a random encounter.
Tracking: Rangers are able to track creatures in the wilderness and in underground environments. The base chance to track is based on the exact environment and nature of the tracks. Add 5% per ranger level to the final tracking chance.
Obvious Tracks refers to the final tracking chance being 70% or greater; Occasional Tracks refers to the final tracking chance being 30% or greater; Faint Tracks refers to the final tracking chance being anything less than 30%. Good lighting refers to full daylight or magical light; poor lighting refers to dawn, dusk, overcast daylight, lantern, or torchlight. Tracking is not usually possible in total darkness. Speed refers to the slower speed ranks of a tracking ranger. Normal speed ranks are as follows: 150’ (50’), 120’ (40’), 90’ (30’), 60’ (20’), 30’ (10’), 15’ (5’), 3’ (1’), Cannot Track. Thus a ranger who normally moves 120’ (40’) following faint tracks through good lighting would move three ranks slower at merely 30’ (10’).
While the final tracking chance can fall to 0% or less, making tracking impossible, the chance of tracking can never be greater than 99%, even if the final total is 100% or greater. A tracking check must be made each time the tracks pass over new ground/cover/floor, or through or into any of the above modifiers. Thus, a ranger would first have to make a roll to find the tracks of an orc from an ambush site in heavy forest/soft dirt ground (base 90%); these he can follow to a rocky shelf with light cover (base 50%) where he’d have to make another check to pick up and follow the tracks to the entrance of the orc warren. Once at the entry to the orc warren, to follow that specific orc, he’d have to make a check against a stone floor covered with detritus over which three other orcs have crossed (base 50% - 15%); when the orc passes through a door he’d have to make another check to notice (50% - 15% - 10%) or lose the trail…
A ranger can try to hide his own tracks. The chance of successfully doing so is 50%, +/-5% per level difference between the the level of the ranger and level of the ranger or barbarian following him. If the roll is successful, subtract the number rolled from the chances of the ranger or barbarian to track the one who has successfully hidden his trail.
Identifying Tracks: The chance a ranger can successfully identify the kind of tracks is equal to the chance of following the tracks. Identifying common creatures is at the normal chance, as is identifying the direction of the tracks. Identifying uncommon creatures, identifying the numbers of creatures leaving tracks, and the rate of speed of the creatures leaving tracks each suffer a -10% penalty. Identifying rare creatures suffers a -20% penalty. Identifying very rare creatures suffers a -30% penalty. Identifying creatures not native to the local environment (the Lone Forest
Focus Skills and Abilities: A ranger must choose two of the following skills or abilities at 1st level. The chosen skills and/or abilities cannot be changed once the character has been made.
Arcane Adept: A ranger can learn to cast a limited number of magic-user spells. Spells are not memorized as such, and the ranger does not maintain a spell book; they are learned once and never change, and are more along the lines of spell-like abilities than true spells. The ranger still must make, maintain, and use a wand, rod, or staff as his arcane focus, though he does not have the ability to cast mage darts. If he wears armor he suffers the standard magic-user Spell Failure chance based on the armor type when using his spells. A ranger has a number of Spell Points equal to his Casting Level; he does not gain a bonus due to high Intelligence. He regains Spell Points in the same manner as a magic-user, and can use Power Stones and similar items. At 9th level the ranger can use magic items normally limited to magic-users, including scrolls.
Companions: The ranger can have animal, demi-human, human, humanoid, and/or monstrous companions. The companions cannot have more total hit dice than the level of the ranger; each special ability that provides the animal an XP Bonus counts as one hit die. Creature with bonus hit points to hit dice count merely as the hit dice, not the next hit dice up. Demi-humans, humans, and humanoids with levels count as double their level for hit dice considerations. The ranger and his animal and/or monstrous companions can understand each other on a basic level, but any actions requested of the animal companion are limited to the extent of its intelligence. Companions are friends, not fodder, and any obviously suicidal request will be met with derision and possible attack! The loss of a companion, unless dismissed from service in good faith and on friendly terms, means that the hit die value of that companion cannot be regained in new companions until the ranger gains a new level. Companions do not count against maximum henchmen.
Divine Cultist: A ranger can learn to cast a limited number of divine spells. True Rangers learn the Good versions of clerical spells, Marauders learn the Evil versions of clerical spells, and Woodsmen learn druidic spells. Spells are not memorized as such, and the ranger does not maintain a prayer book or fetishes; they are learned once and never change, and are more along the lines of spell-like abilities than true spells. He must use a personal holy/unholy symbol when casting divine spells. Any great sin or other transgression causes a ranger to lose access to his divine spells until he completes an appropriate quest to atone for his misdeeds. A ranger has a number of Spell Points equal to his Casting Level; he does not gain a bonus due to high Wisdom. He regains Spell Points in the same manner as a cleric or druid, and can use Power Stones and similar items. At 9th level the ranger can use magic items normally limited to clerics (or druids, in the case of Woodsmen), including scrolls.
Healer: A ranger can tend to his own wounds as well as those of others. An immediate application of first aid within one turn of a battle heals 1d3 hit points; this requires 1d10+10 rounds. Continued ministration of the wounded increases the victim’s daily healing by 1 point or by his Constitution bonus, whichever is greater, and even if the victim is active. A ranger can tend to the ongoing daily care of only one victim per level per day, but can perform first aid for any number of people, even multiple times on the same person each day (though only once per set of wounds from a single battle). Each use of first aid and each person under his daily care requires the use of wild herbs for the creation of ointments, salves and poultices. A successful tracking check and 1d6 hours of gathering will allow the barbarian to gather 1d6+level applications of herbs. The ranger can attempt to neutralize any natural poison (snake or scorpion venom, plant toxins, and such, but not artificial poisons). The ranger must spend at least 1d6+4 rounds ministering to the victim (sucking out the poison and applying herbs). At the end of this time, if undisturbed, the ranger may make a saving throw against Poison; if successful, he has leeched out the poison, and it no longer affects the victim, though any damage already done is not undone.
Mountaineer: The ranger can climb cliffs and scale mountains as a thief of the same level can climb walls. The ranger can use this ability on non-natural sheer surfaces, but his ability is halved before all other considerations (rounded down). The ranger must abide by the armor restrictions of the thief class when using this ability, or suffer the appropriate penalties.
Trapper: A ranger can learn to find, remove, and make wilderness traps, such as pits, snares, and deadfalls. A ranger with this ability can find and remove and make traps as a thief of the same level.
Wanderer: The ranger’s base movement is 150’ (50’), provided he is wearing padded, leather, studded leather, scale mail, chain mail, helmet (though not great helm), and/or shield armor and not otherwise moderately or heavily encumbered. If he is otherwise armored or moderately or heavily encumbered, he moves at normal speeds with no bonuses. Wanderers can jog (double normal movement) for three days straight without rest, alternating every three days of jogging with one day of walking at normal pace.
Weapon Master: The ranger must choose one of three paths: the archer (shortbow and longbow), or the axeman, or the swordsman (long sword). Weapon Masters suffer a non-proficiency penalty of -2 to hit with all weapons other than long swords, bows, axes, and daggers.
- Archer: May loose two arrows per round at 1st level; three arrows per round at 5th level; four arrows per round at 9th level; five arrows per round at 13th level; and six arrows per round at 17th level. The ranger’s Dexterity bonus does not apply when loosing multiple arrows in a round.
- Axeman: With battle axe: +1 to hit and to damage at 1st level; +1/+2 at 4th level; +2/+2 at 7th level; +2/+3 at 10th level; and +3/+3 at 13th level. At 8th level he may make 3 attacks every 2 rounds with the axe; at 15th level he may make 2 attacks every round. He suffers no penalties when dual-wielding a hand axe in each hand (but Strength bonuses do not apply to hit or to damage).
- Swordsman: +1 to hit and to damage at 1st level; +1/+2 at 4th level; +2/+2 at 7th level; +2/+3 at 10th level; and +3/+3 at 13th level. At 8th level he may make 3 attacks every 2 rounds with the sword; at 15th level he may make 2 attacks every round. He suffers no penalties when dual-wielding his long sword in one hand and a dagger (including main-gauche) or hand axe in the other (but Strength bonuses do not apply to hit or to damage).
Limited Wealth: Rangers, even Marauders, do not keep more than they and their mount (if any) can carry. They may maintain reasonable caches of food and miscellaneous supplies, but do not bury treasure or wealth. Any extraneous treasure or wealth is donated to a temple or other worthy cause (never another PC), abandoned, or destroyed. Should the ranger choose to simply take less treasure than his share so that other party members can benefit, he also gains less experience points and the other PCs do not gain any additional XP from the additional treasure.
Fellowship: Most rangers belong to a society of rangers; the idea that rangers cannot congregate or act together is a misunderstanding of the way rangers work. In the case of True Rangers and Woodsmen, the number of rangers is always far too small to cover far too large an area, and so the rangers are usually spread thin. Should a major battle or event require greater numbers, the rangers can be gathered together into a small, albeit powerful force. Marauders, on the other hand, simply don’t like each other’s company, viewing other Marauders as friendly competition at best, more commonly as dangerous rivals. Only in the case of events that threaten their common goals do three or more Marauders ever gather…
Ranger Clerical Spells
True Rangers, dedicated to the gods of Law and Good, are unable to use the reverse versions of these spells. Unless the Ranger gains the personal, direct confidence of his deity, the spells in this list are the only ones that he can learn. More potent spells are reserved for the deity’s more dedicated clergy.
1st Level
1. Cure Light Wounds
2. Detect Evil
3. Detect Magic
4. Light
5. Protection from Evil
6. Purify Food & Drink
7. Remove Fear
8. Resist Heat and Cold
2nd Level
1. Bless
2. Find Traps
3. Know Alignment
4. Hold Person
5. Resist Fire and Frost
6. Silence 15’ Radius
7. Snake Charm
8. Speak with Animal
3rd Level
1. Continual Light
2. Cure Disease
3. Dispel Magic
4. Locate Object
5. Prayer
6. Remove Curse
4th Level
1. Create Food and Water
2. Cure Serious Wounds
3. Lower Water
4. Neutralize Poison
5. Speak with Plants
6. Sticks to Snakes
5th Level
1. Commune
2. Cure Critical Wounds
3. Dispel Evil
4. True Seeing
Marauder Clerical Spells
The spells in the list below are the only ones that clergy of allied temples are willing to teach Marauders, and even then, learning additional spells always comes at a cost, whether in treasure or through quests for the temple. Some temples might be willing to teach the more esoteric spells, but at an even greater price.
1st Level
1. Cause Fear
2. Cause Light Wounds
3. Detect Evil
4. Detect Magic
5. Darkness
6. Protection from Evil
7. Putrefy Food & Drink
8. Resist Heat and Cold
2nd Level
1. Bane
2. Find Traps
3. Hold Person
4. Obscure Alignment
5. Resist Fire and Frost
6. Silence 15’ Radius
7. Snake Charm
8. Speak with Animal
3rd Level
1. Animate Dead
2. Bestow Curse
3. Cause Disease
4. Continual Darkness
5. Dispel Magic
6. Locate Object
4th Level
1. Cause Serious Wounds
2. Create Food and Water
3. Envenom
4. Lower Water
5. Speak with Plants
6. Sticks to Snakes
5th Level
1. Cause Critical Wounds
2. Commune
3. Insect Plague
4. True Seeing
Woodsman Druidic Spells
These are the spells the druids are willing to teach their Woodsmen allies. Other spells are reserved for the initiates of deeper mysteries. A Woodsman who does a great deed or performs a mighty quest might qualify for learning more potent spells, but then druids are even more secretive than clerics.
1st Level
1. Animal Companion
2. Detect Snares and Pits
3. Divine Weather
4. Entangle
5. Invisibility to Animals
6. Locate Creature
7. Pass without Trace
8. Speak with Animals
2nd Level
1. Barkskin
2. Create Water
3. Cure Light Wounds
4. Find Plant
5. Heat Metal
6. Obscuring Mist
7. Produce Flame
8. Warp Wood
3rd Level
1. Hold Animal
2. Insect Swarm
3. Neutralize Poison
4. Plant Growth
5. Snare
6. Tree Shape
4th Level
1. Cure Serious Wounds
2. Hallucinatory Terrain
3. Passplant
4. Speak with Plants
5. Summon Animal I
6. Summon Sylvan Beings
5th Level
1. Animal Growth
2. Anti-Plant Shell
3. Summon Animal II
4. Tree Stride
Ranger Magic-user Spells
Arcane adepts do not have the full training required to be able to wrap their minds around the more esoteric spells. While they can cast such spells they find upon scrolls, and use such spells in wands, rods, and staves, they can never learn them.
1st Level
1. Allure
2. Comprehend Languages
3. Detect Magic
4. Feather Fall
5. Jump
6. Light
7. Mending
8. Message
9. Protection from Evil
10. Read Languages
11. Read Magic
12. Ventriloquism
2nd Level
1. Auditory Illusion
2. Detect Evil
3. Detect Illusion
4. Detect Invisible
5. Doppelganger
6. ESP
7. False Trap
8. Hypnotism
9. Knock
10. Locate Object
11. Scare
12. Strength
3rd Level
1. Clairaudience
2. Clairvoyance
3. Dispel Magic
4. Gust of Wind
5. Haste
6. Infravision
7. Summon Monster I
8. Tiny Hut
4th Level
1. Charm Monster
2. Confusion
3. Fumble
4. Hallucinatory Terrain
5. Massmorph
6. Plant Growth
7. Polymorph Self
8. Summon Monster II
5th Level
1. Faithful Hound
2. Hold Monster
3. Secret Chest
4. Summon Monster III
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