Ranger

by Zed and Ralsu

The forests and wilds are home to numerous fierce and strange creatures such as owlbears and displacer beasts. They are also home to the cunning and powerful ranger; a skilled hunter and stalker. The ranger knows the forests and hills as if they were his home. And more than that, the ranger knows his prey in deadly detail.

Adventuring parties appreciate the ranger, as she takes the mantle of protector and guide through deep forests and wild lands. In addition, the grudge the ranger carries against certain creatures leads her to join with others to find opportunities to destroy them.

The skills of a ranger allow him to survive in the wilderness, to find his prey and to avoid detection. The ranger develops detailed knowledge of his foes making it easier for him to find and defeat them. And as the ranger gains experience, he can draw upon his ties to nature to cast divine spells.

Motivation
Rangers often serve as scouts and guides through many wild places. They also seek out their enemies, dealing with them in an efficient manner. In a party, a ranger takes the role of secondary combatant focusing on opportunistic and ranged attacks.

Class Features
Bow Strength: All rangers can apply their STR modifier to damage when using a bow.

Evasion: A ranger makes a successful Reflex save to avoid damage suffers no damage instead of half damage.

Favored Enemies: Grants +2 to damage to selected enemy type. Available at ranger levels 1, 5, and 10.

Improved Two Weapon Fighting: Rangers with six levels under their belt learn to attack more often with a weapon in each hand.

Many Shot: At 6th level, rangers can fire two arrows with each shot.

Rapid Shot: Rangers begin to fire their bows more quickly after only 2 levels.

Two Weapon Fighting: Rangers with two levels under their belt learn to attack with a weapon in each hand with a reduced penalty.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Rangers rely on mobility in the wilds, as such they can only wear light armor. They are proficient with all simple and martial weapons.

Wild Empathy: Rangers can reduce the aggression animals and beasts feel toward them.

Spells
Upon reaching 4th level, rangers can cast spells from the cleric spells list. Ranger spell points and difficulty checks are based on the Wisdom score.

Suggested Races

• Dwarf (the bonus to CON and the dwarven tendency to resist spells make for good front line rangers)
  
• Halfling (a naturally high DEX score and aptitude for ranged weapons makes halflings a solid choice for a bow ranger)
  
• Human (extra Skill points and an extra Feat make human rangers versatile)
  

Key Abilities
Each class begins with 28 points to spend over 6 abilities (Intelligence, Wisdom, Constitution, Dexterity, Strength, and Charisma). Rangers can benefit from Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution to be front line combatants. However, Wisdom is very important to a ranger for its effect on spell points and spell strength.

Class Skills
Class Skills for the ranger consist of Concentration, Heal, Hide, Jump, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Spot, and Swim.

Suggested Feats
Melee rangers would do well to consider Mobility and Spring Attack to make it easier to fight while on the move. Rangers who prefer to use bows could benefit from Improved Critical: Ranged and Weapon Focus: Ranged and Weapon Specialization: Ranged.

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More on Rangers
Essentials A Guide to Alignments Ranger Tactics Guide A Ranger's Guide to Favored Enemy A Guide to Ranger Feats A Guide to Ranger Enhancements Guide to Sneak Guide to Dungeon Discretion	Spells and Casting Guide to Ranger Spells
DDO Builds for Rangers Aereni Deathguard The Angry Ranger Master of Blades