Grognard's Grimoire: S&W Ranger

Here's my first stab at a ranger class for use in my Dwimmermount campaign. It's based both on the original class by Joe Fischer from The Strategic Review, as well as the ideas I outlined in my recent post about the ranger. As you will notice, I eliminated the ranger's spellcasting ability, which I felt was both out of place and too paltry to contribute much flavor to the class anyway. The result is something that's a bit more like a "wilderness paladin" and whose abilities are very solidly grounded in the outdoors. I don't think the class would hold much appeal in a dungeon-centric campaign, but I do think it'd be very useful in one with lots of wilderness adventuring.

The material in the quote box below is hereby designated Open Game Content via the Open Game License.

The Ranger

The ranger is a uniquely human vocation, one that attracts hardy individuals who venture into the wilderness in order to learn its ways so as to better defend civilization against its depredations. Rangers are thus paragons of Law who exist outside the human society they have sworn themselves to guard. Rangers belong to a loose fellowship of like-minded individuals, although they generally operate alone or in the company of woodland beings who share their desire to rid the wild places of the earth of evil. Although puissant fighters in their own right, rangers are most effective outdoors and many of their abilities do not function within urban or dungeon environments.

Prime Attribute: Strength 13+ (5% experience)

Hit Dice: 1d6+2/level (Gains 3 hp/level after 9th).

Armor/Shield Permitted: Any

Weapons Permitted: Any

Ranger Advancement

Level	XP	HD	BHB	ST
1	0	2	+0	16
2	2,500	3	+1	15
3	5,000	4	+2	14
4	10,000	5	+2	13
5	20,000	6	+3	12
6	35,000	7	+4	11
7	70,000	8	+4	10
8	140,000	9	+5	9
9	275,000	10	+6	8
10	500,000	10+3	+6	7

Ranger Class Abilities

Associates: No more than two rangers may ever operate together at any given time.

Code of Conduct: A ranger must be of Lawful (Good) alignment and loses all class abilities if he ever willingly commits a Chaotic (Evil) act, becoming an ordinary fighter forever after.

Favored Enemies: When fighting evil humanoids, rangers gain a damage bonus equal to their level. What creatures qualify as “evil humanoids” is up to each referee to determine in his campaign.

Natural Remedies: Each day a ranger with access to beneficial plants can heal a total number of hit points of damage equal to his ranger level x2.

Special Followers: Rangers may not hire henchmen nor do they establish strongholds as do other fighting men. Instead, at 9th level, a ranger gains 2D6 special followers who loyally serve him until either they or the ranger dies. These followers are typically individuals of any intelligent race that shares the ranger's vocation to protect civilization, but may also include extraordinary woodland being of Lawful (Good) alignment. The nature of these special followers is left to the referee's discretion.

Toughness: Because of their experience in braving the hardships of the wilderness, rangers begin with two Hit Dice at 1st level. That is, they roll 2D6+4 to determine their starting hit points.

Tracking: Outdoors, a ranger can attempt to track the path of any creature on a roll of 1-18 on 1D20. This basic chance decreases by 2 for each day that passes after the tracks are made. Indoors, a ranger can attempt to track the path of any creature he has observed no more than 6 turns previously. The chance of successfully doing so varies with the actions of the creature being tracked, as follows:

• Creature went down normal passage: 1-13

• Creature went through a normal door: 1-11

• Creature went through a trap door: 1-10

• Creature went up/down a chimney: 1-6

• Creature went through a secret door: 1-6

Wary: A ranger can only be surprised on a roll of 1 on 1D6.

Wealth: Rangers may own no more than they can carry. Any additional goods or wealth they acquire must be given away to a worthy cause.

Wilderness Warrior: When operating in the wilderness, rangers surprise their opponents on a roll of 1-3 on 1D6.