Ranger, Tome (3.5e Class)


 * This article is about the Tome Ranger. You may be looking for the SRD:Ranger.



Ranger
"Knowing the routines and movements of your prey tips the balance of a hunt. Fire at the wrong moment and your chance will be forever lost. Patience..."

No one should ever play the standard ranger when they can play a druid instead. The real ranger is a peerless hunter and a legitimate threat in multiple forms of combat, someone not always necessarily devoted to the protection of nature. It's easy to imagine an evil ranger that would use his connection with nature simply to further his own ends, or perhaps even lack any such connection at all beyond the fact that he fights better in a natural setting than elsewhere.

Making a Ranger
A ranger places more emphasis on mobility than a fighter or barbarian, since he lacks the action interruption abilities of the former or the universally applicable raw attack strength of the latter. That said, he is still a very capable and adaptable combatant boasting large amounts of utility, and can compensate for any weaknesses with a spell list focused on buffs for himself or his party members.

As the ranger gains levels, he becomes much better at killing creatures of certain types. And thanks to the psychological phenomena of generalization, he is able to utilize this knowledge to combat enemies with traits and abilities similar to his favored enemy. Abilities: Even though it is a martial class, a ranger has relatively low Hit Dice; as such, Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution all help to ensure his combat efficacy. Aside from those three, Wisdom is the ranger's most important stat, as it governs his spellcasting, the effectiveness of the favored enemy class feature, and his ability to track enemies.

Races: Rangers can come from any race.

Alignment: Any.

Starting Gold: 1d6&times;10 gp (25 gp).

Starting Age: Simple.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the ranger.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A ranger is automatically proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light and medium armor, and shields.

He also gains bonus spells per day based on his Wisdom score, and prepares his spells in the same manner as a cleric does. Most of his spells are designed to aid him in augmenting his already formidable combat abilities or cause detriment to opponents, not as a form of attack. That said, his spells are more limited in number and power than a druid’s.

0&mdash; cure light wounds, detect magic, detect poison, detect snares and pits, flare, know direction, light, snare, speak with animals, speak with plants

1st&mdash; barkskin, calm animals, charm animal, cure moderate wounds, daylight, delay poison, endure elements, greater dispel magic, greater magic fang, longstrider, obscuring mist, pass without trace, tree shape

2nd&mdash; animal trance, bear’s endurance, bull’s strength, cat’s grace, cure serious wounds, entangle, faerie fire, fog cloud, mass cure light wounds, nondetection, owl’s wisdom, resist energy, lesser restoration, rusting grasp, spider climb, spike growth

3rd&mdash; air walk, cure critical wounds, mass cure moderate wounds, protection from energy, spike stones, stone tell, water breathing, wind wall

4th&mdash; freedom of movement, giant vermin, heal, mass bear’s endurance, mass bull’s strength, mass cat’s grace, mass cure serious wounds, mass owl's wisdom, solid fog, wall of thorns, wall of stone

5th&mdash; animal growth, commune with nature, control winds, control weather, greater bear's endurance, greater cat's grace, greater eagle's splendor, mass cure critical wounds, stoneskin, transport via plants, tree stride

6th&mdash; antilife shell, etherealness, greater restoration, mass heal, refuge, reverse gravity

 (Ex): A ranger starts play with an animal companion, which may be any animal that normally has a Challenge Rating equal to his character level -2. Templates may be added on to the creature so long as its CR remains at the appropriate level and so long as they don't make the companion an invalid type; templates added should be policed at the discretion of the DM. At first level, the ranger may have an animal companion with a CR equal to his own (such as a wolf), but such a companion cannot be advanced until 4th level.

Should the ranger ever lose a companion (either by death or voluntary release from service), another one automatically comes to his side after 24 hours if he so desires.

Once he reaches 4th level, the ranger may have a magical beast as his companion, but it also must meet the normal CR requirement.

At 1st, 6th, and 11th level, he gains a Combat feat of his choosing as a bonus feat from the following list: Combat School, Feint Attack, Horde Breaker, Hunter, Insightful Strike, Monkey Grip, Point Blank Shot, Rapid Fire, Saddleborn Warrior, Shieldbearer, Sniper, Subtle Cut, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse, Whirlwind, Zen Archery.

This list is not necessarily intended to be exclusive and may be expanded at the discretion of the DM.


 * ToP: Despite not being a Tome Combat feat, Combat Casting is another feat selectable via this class feature.

 (Ex): A ranger possesses an extraordinarily keen sense of smell, and is able to detect creatures by scent out to a distance of 10 feet per class level (this allows the distance of the ranger’s scent ability to exceed the norm of 30 feet, but otherwise follows all normal rules). In addition, the ranger also gains Track as a bonus feat at first level.


 * ToP: The ranger instead gains the Tracker feat instead of Track.

 (Ex): A ranger trains himself vigorously in the destruction of certain types of foes, hereafter referred to as favored enemies. At every even-numbered level, he may choose a favored enemy from the list below, adding another type of creature to his list of favored enemies and granting benefits based on both his class level and the type of enemy selected. Despite the implications of the name, the benefits of choosing a favored enemy are not only applicable to that type of foe; instead, his experience fighting certain opponents aids the ranger in fighting other creatures with similar attributes. Favored enemy benefits are divided into three categories: minor (accessible starting at level 2), advanced (level 8), and major (level 14). Once a new tier of benefits are unlocked, they are gained for every favored enemy the ranger has previously chosen and every one he selects afterwards.

A ranger gains certain benefits that apply regardless of what favored enemy he chooses. He automatically has the Edge against any favored enemy even if their base attack bonus exceeds his own. In addition, he gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls and a on all attacks (not spells) against any creature that is designated as a favored enemy. In addition, all attacks from BAB (excluding attacks gained through hasting effects or Two-Weapon Fighting) gain a +1d6 bonus to damage rolls. This damage bonus increases by another d6 for each additional favored enemy the ranger possesses after the first. These bonus damage dice are not multiplied on a critical hit. They also should not be confused with Sneak Attack dice, and do not count as such for any prerequisites or abilities.

Finally, a ranger is well-versed in the tracks and habits of his favored enemies, gaining a competence bonus to Survival checks made to track such creatures equal to one half his character level.


 * ToP: The ranger gains a +3 competence bonus to Survival checks made to track favored enemies instead of the normal bonus.

 (Ex): A 2nd level ranger no longer incurs penalties for moving over difficult terrain, and may track a target regardless of any means they may use to cover their tracks (including a pass without trace spell) as if they were moving normally.

 (Ex): A great ranger will not rest until their quarry is caught. A ranger who is tracking does not need to eat or sleep as long as they continue making the Survival check necessary to keep the trail. They also do not suffer from the effects of fatigue or exhaustion, no matter how long they move, even when running, so long as they are still tracking. If the trail is broken or if the ranger catches his prey, the ranger takes no immediate ill effects, but must wait a period of 1 hour before he may regain the effects of this ability. He may track in the meantime, but does not receive these benefits. This ability is also conferred upon the ranger’s animal companion, but not any party members or other comrades.

In order to gain the benefits of this ability, the ranger must be actively tracking a target via Survival checks or other normal tracking mechanics (whatever is applicable). Simply declaring that he is hunting them does not suffice.

 (Ex): A 3rd level ranger is extremely good at killing things, even those that aren’t counted among his normal favored enemies. By taking a move action to make a Survival check (with a DC of 15 + the Challenge Rating of the creature), he can identify a single opponent that he can somehow sense. Doing this allows him to treat that foe as a favored enemy and gain the associated attack and damage bonuses against it, even if it is not counted amongst his favored enemies. Use of this ability does not actually increase the number of favored enemies the ranger possesses, and as such does not grant him another bonus damage die, bonuses to Survival checks, or the unique benefits accorded to favored enemies of that type. This ability is useable at will and lasts for 1 round per two class levels of the ranger.


 * ToP: Instead of a normal Survival check, the check is made with whatever relevant identification skill the Tome of Prowess dictates for the creature type of the opponent in question (one of Arcana, Geomancy, Survival, or Thaumaturgy).

 (Ex): Starting at 5th level, a ranger can use the Hide skill in any sort of natural terrain, even if he does not have cover or concealment. So long as he is in natural terrain, he may Hide even when observed. In addition, if he stays still for an entire round (not moving or performing any actions), the ranger becomes invisible (with all normal limitations of the spell) until the end of his next turn.


 * ToP: Due to different rules for the Perception skill, a camouflaged ranger instead only becomes undetectable by sight.

 (Ex): A 5th level ranger no longer incurs penalties to Survival checks for tracking creatures at greater speeds.


 * ToP: When tracking, you may more twice as fast as the indicated result, though you may not move faster than flat-out.

 (Ex): By 7th level, a ranger is superbly mobile and fleet of foot in combat, allowing him to move 5 feet as a free action immediately after making an attack roll. This does not count as his 5-foot step for his turn, but provokes attacks of opportunity normally. This extra movement can only be applied to attacks gained from BAB. If he wishes to use this ability out of turn (such as after making an attack of opportunity), it counts as an immediate action.

Should he add additional metamagic to the spell, its casting time is never increased beyond a swift action. Every two levels thereafter, the level of spells he can cast as a swift action increases by one (to 2nd level at 11th, 3rd level at 13th, and so on).

 (Ex): A 9th level ranger is able to blend in almost perfectly with his surroundings. So long as he is in natural terrain, he gains 20% concealment. At level 17, this improves to 50% concealment. Because it is not magical in nature and stems purely from the ranger's ability to melt into the wilderness, this concealment cannot be penetrated by true seeing spell or a similar effect.

In addition, a 17th level ranger is seamlessly able to blend in to any surroundings. All abilities that depend on him being in natural terrain may now be used anywhere.

 (Ex): A ranger of 15th level or higher who picks up a trail when tracking gains the effects of a find the path spell (with the tracked creature accessible as the target destination). As a result, the target destination moves as the creature does. The ranger may also receive this effect if he possesses a sample from the target with which to trace their scent. This ability is a location divination effect with a caster level equal to your ranger level; when you use it to track a creature protected by anti-divination effects, you may make a caster level check against a DC equal to 10 + the caster level of the effect) and bypass it if successful.


 * ToP: When tracking a creature using the Bluff skill, you may attempt to circumvent it with this effect as you would any other anti-divination effect. Use the normal DC indicated in the Bluff description.

 (Ex): Once the ranger reaches 19th level, he is instinctually recognizable to all animals, magical beasts, and intelligent plants as a friend of nature and an impossible foe (magical beasts and plants may make a Will save with a DC of 10 + 1/2 the ranger's class level + his Wisdom modifier to resist, but animals may not). As such, they automatically fight for him so long as he wishes for an encounter in which they are present (after the encounter is over, they scatter and do not follow him), even if summoned by someone else. If they are dominated or otherwise not in control of their own actions, they will simply refuse to act on any turn in which they are commanded to target the ranger, and receive a saving throw against the original DC of the spell that has bewitched them to try and shake off its effects.

Favored Enemy Benefits
The ranger develops certain skills that greatly aid him in his battles. These skills vary based on the enemy he has devoted his time to studying and chosen as a favored enemy. Any favored enemy abilities that offer a saving throw have a DC equal to 10 + 1/2 the ranger's class level + his Wisdom modifier. For the purposes of these abilities, the category "humanoids" refers to both the humanoid and monstrous humanoid types.

Minor

 * Aberration: Your mind cannot be probed by effects that would seek to access it (such as detect thoughts). You also acquire the benefits of the Darkstalker feat.
 * Animal: You cannot be detected by scent, or low-light vision. Darkvision or other more magical forms of detection are not hindered by this ability.
 * Construct: Your attacks on objects and constructs ignore hardness.
 * Dragon: You gain evasion and immunity to fear.
 * Elemental: You gain resistance to all forms of elemental damage equal to one half your class level.
 * Fey: Size bonuses to Armor Class are halved against you (round down).
 * Giant: You may negate size bonuses for special attacks and grapples for creatures up to one size larger than you per attack you gain from your BAB. For example, a level 7 ranger could negate up to two sizes worth of modifiers.
 * Humanoids: Any critical hit you land is automatically confirmed.
 * Magical Beast: You gain darkvision out to 120 feet or 10 feet per character level, whichever is greater.
 * Ooze: Weapons and equipment that you are currently wielding no longer have to make saves to avoid taking damage or being destroyed/disjoined by any means.
 * Outsider: As a swift action useable at will, you may cast align weapon on all weapons you are currently wielding.
 * Plant: You are immune to any effect that uses plants to magically impede movement (i.e. entangle, wall of thorns, etc.) as well as any and all poisons.
 * Undead: You can sense ethereal and incorporeal creatures normally, and may detect such creatures by scent. Plus, all your weapons are treated as having the ghost touch enhancement when you are wielding them.
 * Vermin: Your experience with vermin has allowed you to fight like they do. You gain tremorsense out to 5 feet per class level and never risk poisoning yourself when applying poison to a weapon.

Advanced

 * Aberration: You are now immune to all mind-affecting effects.
 * Animal: As a standard action, you may make a single attack against a creature that forces them to make a Reflex save. If they fail, they not only take damage from the attack but also take a penalty to the damage they inflict with one natural or manufactured weapon (of your choice at the time of the attack) equal to your ranger level (to a minimum of 0). This reduction lasts for 1 round per two levels of ranger you possess.
 * Construct: As a standard action, you can break clean through an unattended object with a thickness no more than that of your weapon, regardless of hardness or hit points. This renders most objects that fall in that range useless, but may be useful for carving new doors in stone walls or clear cutting forests for lumber.
 * Dragon: As a standard action, you may make an attack to incapacitate a target and prevent them from moving. If the attack is successful, the target must make a Fortitude save or have one of their movement speeds (as chosen by you) reduced to 0 ft. If the creature is in flight as has their flight speed reduced to 0 feet, they fall. This immobilization lasts until the creature takes a full-round action to treat its own wound, which an ally may instead accomplish with the aid another action.
 * Elemental: As a free action, you can now change the type of all favored enemy damage dice you deal to a creature with an attack or effect to acid, cold, electricity, or fire damage.
 * Fey: You are immune to paralysis and magical sleep effects.
 * Giant: Add 1 point of damage per favored enemy die you possess to all attacks against an opponent for every size they are larger than you.
 * Humanoids: You have honed your focus on the nine vital points of a humanoid body, allowing you to strike with unerring efficiency. Whenever you strike a creature with the humanoid or monstrous humanoid types or a generally humanoid anatomy (i.e. two arms, two legs, and a head), all successful attacks are critical hits.
 * Magical Beast: Your attacks disrupt an opponent's regeneration or fast healing (if applicable) for one round, and all of your attacks deal lethal damage to an opponent with regeneration.
 * Ooze: If someone (or something) enters your space, you may spend an attack of opportunity to move to the side and out of the way. You cannot move more than 5 feet with a single use of this ability.
 * Outsider: Each of your attacks carries the effect of a targeted greater dispel magic spell against the creature struck, with your attack roll counting as the caster level check. Your effective caster level for this effect is equal to your character level. This ability only applies to attacks gained from BAB; any extra attacks (such as from a speed weapon) do not count.
 * Plant: Any weapon you use now has the benefits of the flaming burst enhancement; this ability may be suppressed at will. In addition, any creature you strike with two consective attacks from these flaming weapons burns for 1 round, losing 1 hit point per HD they possess at the start of their next turn. A particular creature cannot be affected by this second effect more than once per round.
 * Undead: Creatures slain by you cannot be raised from the dead or animated as undead unless you wish it. If you are slain, your will can no longer be an influence over these corpses until you are raised.
 * Vermin: You may disturb a swarm as a standard action with a melee attack. If you hit a creature with the swarm subtype with this attack, they must make a Reflex save or be forced to separate (becoming totally ineffectual in combat and not on the field of battle as if dead) for one round. Plus, your expertise with poison increases, allowing you to use either the poison's normal save DC or your default favored enemy DC, whichever is higher.

Major

 * Aberration: When a target-specific mind-affecting effect would affect someone with Close range of you, you may use an immediate action to change the target of the effect to yourself. In addition, any mind-affecting effect that targets you is automatically rebounded back at its source as if you were the originator. It uses its base save or the default save for favored enemy, whichever is higher.
 * Animal: If you study an a single opponent undetected for 1 whole round, you gain sneak attack damage as a rogue of your class level against it on your next turn. This damage stacks with any bonus damage you may receive from the favored enemy class feature and any normal sneak attack damage you may possess.
 * Construct: A creature you strike has their spell resistance (if any) reduced by 4 or to 12 + their CR (whichever is less) until the start of your next turn. Any spell immunities they possess (whether from their own traits or a magical effect) are removed and instead replaced with spell resistance 12 + the CR of the target. Both of these effects last until the beginning of your next turn. A single creature cannot be affected by this ability more than once per round.
 * Dragon: You always succeed on a Reflex save to avoid or reduce damage when one is allowed.
 * Elemental: When you are targeted by an attack or effect with an elemental subtype, you may take an immediate action to gain immunity to that paritcular damage type until the end of the current round. In addition, you are healed one point of damage for every three points of elemental damage you normally would have taken from the attack that provoked the change.
 * Fey: Whilst in a forest, you are able to detect every creature (and automatically know its type) inside the forest within 100 feet per class level.
 * Giant: You now ignore any and all size modifiers so long as it is advantageous to you, and whenever you are targeted by an effect that affects only creatures of a certain size, you are automatically treated as an invalid size if you wish.
 * Humanoids: You may make a lethal attack as a standard action. If you deal any damage with this attack, the foe must make a Fortitude save or die. This is not a death effect and works normally against creatures immune to such effects.
 * Magical Beast: Opponents struck by your attacks bleed profusely, taking 2 additional points of damage for each successful attack made against them at the beginning of each of your next turns until they are healed back to full health.
 * Ooze: Mindless creatures cannot even detect your presence unaided (you can simply walk by them without them reacting to you). You have concealment against creatures that rely on blindsight, tremorsense, or other alternative sensory forms.
 * Outsider: You may take a standard action to make a single attack that carries the effect of a banishment spell as cast by a cleric of your class level. An creature banished in this fashion is also confined to their own plane (as if under a dimensional anchor spell) for 24 hours afterward.
 * Plant: Whenever you are in natural sunlight, you regenerate any lost limbs within 1d6 rounds and gain fast healing equal to your class level.
 * Undead: You may now make critical hits and apply precision-based damage normally to any creature that is normally immune to those effects.
 * Vermin: You are now capable of tapping into vermin hive minds and other forms thereof, taking advantage of their vigilance. When you are within Close range of a member of a hive mind, you gain the benefits of being a member of the hivemind when determining whether or not you can be flanked or flat-footed. You may also use this ability to determine the purpose of a necromantic intelligence. Finally, your poisons may now affect even creatures that are normally immune to poisons. A creature that has no score in the affected ability is still not affected.