Ranger

For those who relish the thrill of the hunt, there are only predators and prey. Be they scouts, trackers, or bounty hunters, rangers share much in common: unique mastery of specialized weapons, skill at stalking even the most elusive game, and the expertise to defeat a wide range of quarries. Knowledgeable, patient, and skilled hunters, these rangers hound man, beast, and monster alike, gaining insight into the way of the predator, skill in varied environments, and ever more lethal martial prowess. While some track man-eating creatures to protect the frontier, others pursue more cunning game — even fugitives among their own people. Role: Rangers are deft skirmishers, either in melee or at range, capable of skillfully dancing in and out of battle. Their abilities allow them to deal significant harm to specific types of foes, but their skills are valuable against all manner of enemies. Alignment: Any Hit Die: d10 Skill Ranks per Level: 3 + Int modifier Base Features Ranger Proficiencies A ranger is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with light armor, medium armor, and shields (except tower shields). Favored Enemy At 1st level, a ranger selects a creature type from the ranger favored enemies table. He gets a +2 bonus on weapon attack and damage rolls against them. At 5th level and every five levels thereafter (10th, 15th, and 20th level), the ranger may select an additional favored enemy. In addition, at each such interval, the bonus against any one favored enemy (including the one just selected, if so desired) increases by +2. If the ranger chooses humanoids or outsiders as a favored enemy, he must also choose an associated subtype, as indicated on the table below. (Note that there are other types of humanoid to choose from—those called out specifically on the table below are merely the most common.) If a specific creature falls into more than one category of favored enemy, the ranger's bonuses do not stack; he simply uses whichever bonus is higher. Combat Style Feat 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. Favored Terrain At 3rd level, a ranger may select a type of terrain. The ranger gains a +2 bonus on initiative checks and Knowledge (World), Lore (Nature), Perception, and Stealth skill checks when he is in this terrain. At 8th level and every five levels thereafter, the ranger may select an additional favored terrain. In addition, at each such interval, the skill bonus and initiative bonus in any one favored terrain (including the one just selected, if so desired), increases by +2. Hunter's Bond At 4th level, a ranger forms a bond with his hunting companions. This bond can take one of two forms. Once the form is chosen, it cannot be changed. The first is a bond to his companions. This bond allows him to spend a move action to grant half his favored enemy bonus against a single target of the appropriate type to all allies within 30 feet who can see or hear him. This bonus lasts for a number of rounds equal to the ranger's Wisdom modifier (minimum 1). This bonus does not stack with any favored enemy bonuses possessed by his allies; they use whichever bonus is higher. The second option is to form a close bond with an animal companion. A ranger who selects an animal companion can choose from the following list: eagle, dog, or wolf. This animal is a loyal companion that accompanies the ranger on his adventures as appropriate for its kind. A ranger's animal companion shares his favored enemy and favored terrain bonuses. This ability functions like the druid animal companion ability (which is part of the Nature Bond class feature), except that the ranger's effective druid level is equal to his ranger level –3. Evasion Character can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If a character makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. A helpless character does not gain the benefit of evasion. Improved Evasion This ability works like evasion, except that while the character still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks, he henceforth takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless character does not gain the benefit of improved evasion. Camouflage A ranger of 12th level or higher can use the Stealth skill to hide in any of his favored terrains, even while being observed. Master Hunter 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 can, as a standard action, make a single attack against a favored enemy at his full attack bonus. If the attack hits, the target takes damage normally and must make a Fortitude save or die. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the ranger's level + the ranger's Wisdom modifier. A ranger can choose instead to deal an amount of nonlethal damage equal to the creature's current hit points. A successful save negates this damage. A ranger can use this ability once per day against each favored enemy type he possesses, but not against the same creature more than once in a 24-hour period. Selectable Features Ranger Style Archery At 2nd level, ranger can select Far Shot, Focused Shot, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, and Rapid Shot. At 6th level, he adds Crossbow Mastery, Improved Precise Shot, Parting Shot, Point Blank Master and Manyshot to the list. At 10th level, he adds Pinpoint Targeting and Shot on the Run to the list.