Another tier 4 class I wanted to bring some love to, the ranger needed a bit of a boost in my mind. Not too much, but enough to make it shine again. So, the very first change I made was giving them full levels for their animal companion progression, as rangers do not have the spells that druids do to maximize it, nor the ability to summon creatures, nor the ability to shapeshift into one. Next came Quick Cast, which duskblades get, hexblades get from a WotC suggested update, and which Paladins overdose on with a single feat (Battle Blessing). It seems only fair to give ranger, another partial caster, the same kind of bonus. Some extra spells per day doesn't hurt, either, and really adds some nice versatility without a lot of power. Finally, I wanted to give a few more class abilities to round out the class, as well as fill in dead levels, and moved a couple of ranger abilities to earlier levels.
Please feel free to give feedback and critiques!
RangerAlignment: Any
Hit Die: d8
Table: | Saves | | Spellcasting |
| Lv | Base Attack Bonus | Fort | Ref | Will | Class Abilities | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
| 1 | +1 | +2 | +2 | +0 | Favoured Enemy (1st), Track, Animal Companion | - | - | - | - |
| 2 | +2 | +3 | +3 | +0 | Combat Style, Wild Empathy | - | - | - | - |
| 3 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +1 | Endurance | - | - | - | - |
| 4 | +4 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Quick Cast 1/day, Resist Nature's Lure | 1 | - | - | - |
| 5 | +5 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Favoured Enemy (2nd), Bonus Feat | 1 | - | - | - |
| 6 | +6/+1 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Improved Combat Style | 2 | - | - | - |
| 7 | +7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Camouflage, Woodland Stride | 2 | 1 | - | - |
| 8 | +8/+3 | +6 | +6 | +2 | Swift Tracker, Bonus Feat | 3 | 1 | - | - |
| 9 | +9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +3 | Evasion, Quick Cast 2/day | 3 | 2 | - | - |
| 10 | +10/+5 | +7 | +7 | +3 | Favoured Enemy (3rd) | 4 | 2 | 1 | - |
| 11 | +11/+6/+1 | +7 | +7 | +3 | Combat Style Mastery, Bonus Feat | 4 | 3 | 1 | - |
| 12 | +12/+7/+2 | +8 | +8 | +4 | Hide in Plain Sight | 5 | 3 | 2 | - |
| 13 | +13/+8/+3 | +8 | +8 | +4 | Trackless Step, Peerless Hunter | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 14 | +14/+9/+4 | +9 | +9 | +4 | Quick Cast 3/day, Bonus Feat | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| 15 | +15/+10/+5 | +9 | +9 | +5 | Venom Immunity, Favoured Enemy (4th) | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| 16 | +16/+11/+6/+1 | +10 | +10 | +5 | Combat Style Grand Mastery, Improved Evasion | 6 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| 17 | +17/+12/+7/+2 | +10 | +10 | +5 | Ultimate Tracker, Bonus Feat | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| 18 | +18/+13/+8/+3 | +11 | +11 | +6 | Block Nature's Lure | 6 | 5 | 5 | 3 |
| 19 | +19/+14/+9/+4 | +11 | +11 | +6 | Free Movement, Quick Cast 4/day | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| 20 | +20/+15/+10/+5 | +12 | +12 | +6 | Hunter's Champion, Favoured Enemy (5th), Bonus Feat | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
Class Skills (8+int mod skill points per level, x4 at 1st level) Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (Geography) (Int), Knowledge (Nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), and Use Rope (Dex)
Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: A ranger is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with light armour, and with shields, except tower shields.
Favoured Enemy (Ex): At 1st level, a ranger may select a type of creature from among those given on Table: Ranger Favoured Enemies, below. The ranger gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against creatures of this type. Likewise, he gets a +2 bonus on weapon damage rolls against such creatures. These bonuses improve by +1 for every 3 ranger levels after 1st (4, 7, 10, 13, 16, and 19).
At 5th level and every five levels thereafter (10th, 15th, and 20th level), the ranger may select an additional favoured enemy from those given on the table.
If the ranger chooses humanoids or outsiders as a favoured enemy, he must also choose an associated subtype, as indicated on the table. If a specific creature falls into more than one category of favoured enemy, the ranger’s bonuses do not stack.
If the ranger encounters a creature that does not fit in one of the creature categories on the table, he may take its type (or subtype, if it's an outsider or humanoid) as a future favoured enemy choice.
Table: Ranger Favored Enemies| Type (Subtype) | Type (Subtype) |
| Aberration | Humanoid (reptilian) |
| Animal | Magical beast |
| Construct | Monstrous Humanoid |
| Dragon | Ooze |
| Elemental | Outsider (air) |
| Fey | Outsider (chaotic) |
| Giant | Outsider (earth) |
| Humanoid (aquatic) | Outsider (evil) |
| Humanoid (dwarf) | Outsider (fire) |
| Humanoid (elf) | Outsider (good) |
| Humanoid (goblinoid) | Outsider (lawful) |
| Humanoid (gnoll) | Outsider (native) |
| Humanoid (gnome) | Outsider (water) |
| Humanoid (halfling) | Plant |
| Humanoid (human) | Undead |
| Humanoid (orc) | Vermin |
Track: A ranger gains Track as a bonus feat.
Animal Companion (Ex): A ranger may begin play with an animal companion selected from the following list: badger, camel, dire rat, dog, riding dog, eagle, hawk, horse (light or heavy), owl, pony, snake (Small or Medium viper), or wolf. If the campaign takes place wholly or partly in an aquatic environment, the following creatures are also available: porpoise, Medium shark, and squid. This animal is a loyal companion that accompanies the ranger on his adventures as appropriate for its kind.
A 1st-level ranger’s companion is completely typical for its kind except as noted below. As a ranger advances in level, the animal’s power increases as shown on the table in the PHB, pg 36: Druid's Animal Companion. If a ranger releases his companion from service, he may gain a new one by performing a ceremony requiring 24 uninterrupted hours of prayer. This ceremony can also replace an animal companion that has perished.
A ranger of 4th level or higher may select from alternative lists of animals, also found in the Druid's Animal Companion section. Should he select an animal companion from one of these alternative lists, the creature gains abilities as if the character’s ranger level were lower than it actually is. Subtract the value indicated in the appropriate list header from the character’s ranger level and compare the result with the class level entry on the table to determine the animal companion’s powers. (If this adjustment would reduce the ranger’s effective level to 0 or lower, he can’t have that animal as a companion.)
Combat Style (Ex): At 2nd level, a ranger must select one of the following combat styles to pursue: Archery, Two-Weapon Combat, Companion Combat, Sword and Board, Monster Hunter, Beast Wrestling, Mounted Combat, Piscator, Strong Arm, Throwing, or Stalker. This choice affects the character’s class features but does not restrict his selection of feats or special abilities in any way. All feats gained from the ranger's combat style do not require him to have any of the prerequisites. The benefits of the ranger’s chosen style apply only when he wears light or no armour. He loses all benefits of his combat style when wearing medium or heavy armour.
Archery Style: Rapid Shot feat.
Two-Weapon Combat Style: Two-Weapon Fighting feat.
Companion Combat Style: Combat Reflexes feat.
Sword and Board Style: Shield Specialization feat.
Monster Hunter Style: Close-Quarters Fighting feat.
Beast Wrestling Style: Improved Unarmed Strike feat.
Mounted Combat Style: Ride-By Attack feat.
Piscator Style: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Net) feat.
Strong Arm Style: Power Attack feat.
Throwing Style: Point Blank Shot feat.
Stalker Style: You gain Sneak Attack at +1d6 (see Rogue, PHB p. 50 for details). In addition, you can deliver bonus sneak attack damage against creatures normally immune, so long as that creature is one of your favoured enemy types.
Wild Empathy (Ex): A 2nd level ranger can improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check to improve the attitude of a person. The ranger rolls 1d20 and adds his ranger level and his Charisma modifier to determine the wild empathy check result. The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly.
To use wild empathy, the ranger and the animal must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal visibility conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute, but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.
The ranger can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but he takes a -4 penalty on the check.
Endurance: A ranger gains Endurance as a bonus feat at 3rd level.
Spells: Beginning at 4th level, a ranger gains the ability to cast a small number of divine spells, which are drawn from the ranger spell list. A ranger must choose and prepare his spells in advance (see below).
To prepare or cast a spell, a ranger must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a ranger’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the ranger’s Wisdom modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a ranger can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on the ranger class table, above. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Wisdom score. The ranger does not have access to any domain spells or granted powers, as a cleric does.
A ranger prepares and casts spells the way a cleric does, though he cannot lose a prepared spell to cast a cure spell in its place. A ranger may prepare and cast any spell on the ranger spell list, provided that he can cast spells of that level, but he must choose which spells to prepare during his daily meditation.
Through 3rd level, a ranger has no caster level. At 4th level and higher, his caster level is his ranger level.
Quick Cast (Su): Beginning at 4th level, a ranger can cast one spell each day as a swift action, so long as the casting time of the spell is 1 standard action or less.
He can use this ability one extra time per day every 5 levels thereafter (9, 14, 19).
Resist Nature's Lure (Ex): Also starting at 4th level, a ranger gains a +4 bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like abilities used by fey, and against mind-affecting spells and effects. This bonus is not cumulative, so a fey casting
Charm Person still only allows the ranger a +4 bonus.
Bonus Feat: At 5th level, and every three levels thereafter, a ranger gains a bonus feat. It can be any feat from the following list, but the ranger must still meet all requirements before being able to take it.
Able Sniper, Coordinated Strike, Diehard, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Bounding Assault, Rapid Blitz, Favoured Power Attack, Improved Favoured Enemy, Improved Critical, Improved Initiative, Improved Unarmed Strike, Pin Shield, Point Blank Shot, Far Shot, Rapid Shot, Improved Rapid Shot, Many Shot, Precise Shot, Improved Precise Shot, Shot on the Run, Defensive Archery, Ranged Disarm, Ranged Pin, Ranged Sunder, Sharp-Shooting, Quick Draw, Quick Reconnoiter, Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Greater Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Pounce, Two-Weapon Rend, Oversized Two-Weapon Fighting, Dual Strike, Two-Weapon Defense, Improved Two-Weapon Defense, Greater Two-Weapon Defense, Zen Archery
Improved Combat Style (Ex): At 6th level, a ranger’s aptitude in his chosen combat style improves. As before, any feats gained from the style do not require the ranger to meet the prerequisites in order to use. The benefits of the ranger’s chosen style apply only when he wears light or no armour. He loses all benefits of his combat style when wearing medium or heavy armour.
Archery Style: Manyshot feat.
Two-Weapon Combat Style: Improved Two-Weapon Fighting feat.
Companion Combat Style: Adaptable Flanker feat.
Sword and Board Style: Shield Ward feat.
Monster Hunter Style: Sense Weakness feat. With this style, the ranger does not need to have a specific weapon from Weapon Focus in order to use the feat's benefits.
Beast Wrestling Style: Improved Grapple feat.
Mounted Combat Style: Spirited Charge feat.
Piscator Style: Improved Trip feat.
Strong Arm Style: Improved Sunder feat.
Throwing Style: Quick Draw feat.
Stalker Style: Rapid Stealth. With this, a ranger is able to move at full speed without penalties to his Hide and Move Silently checks, and only takes a -10 penalty on those skill checks when running. The ranger's Sneak Attack is increased to +2d6, as well.
Camouflage (Ex): A ranger of 7th level or higher can use the Hide skill in any sort of natural terrain, even if the terrain doesn’t grant cover or concealment.
Woodland Stride (Ex): Also at 7th level, a ranger may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at his normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment.
However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that are enchanted or magically manipulated to impede motion still affect him.
Swift Tracker (Ex): Beginning at 8th level, a ranger can move at his normal speed while following tracks without taking the normal -5 penalty. He takes only a -10 penalty (instead of the normal -20) when moving at up to twice normal speed while tracking.
Evasion (Ex): At 9th level, a ranger can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the ranger is wearing light armour or no armour. A helpless ranger does not gain the benefit of evasion.
Combat Style Mastery (Ex): At 11th level, a ranger’s aptitude in his chosen combat style improves again. As before, any feats gained from the style do not require the ranger to meet the prerequisites in order to use. The benefits of the ranger’s chosen style apply only when he wears light or no armour. He loses all benefits of his combat style when wearing medium or heavy armour.
Archery Style: Improved Precise Shot feat.
Two-Weapon Combat Style: Greater Two-Weapon Fighting feat.
Companion Combat Style: The ranger's animal companion gains the Warbeast template (MM 2 p. 219). If the ranger loses his animal companion or changes it, any new animal companion he gains automatically has the template.
Sword and Board Style: Improved Shield Bash and Agile Shield Fighter feats.
Monster Hunter Style: Supernatural Opportunist feat.
Beast Wrestling Style: Stunning Fist feat. The ranger gains uses of Stunning Fist as if he were a monk with a level equal to his ranger level.
Mounted Combat Style: Trample feat.
Piscator Style: Improved Critical feat.
Strong Arm Style: Great Cleave feat.
Throwing Style: Far Shot feat.
Stalker Style: Darkstalker feat, and his Sneak Attack is increased to +3d6.
Hide in Plain Sight (Ex): A ranger of 12th level or higher can use the Hide skill even while being observed.
Trackless Step (Ex): Starting at 13th level, a ranger leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked. He may choose to leave a trail if so desired.
Peerless Hunter (Ex): Upon attaining 13th level, a ranger's martial skills reach a new tier. When using melee weapons, whether manufacured or natural, the ranger may, as a full-round action, move up to his speed and make a full attack, though he takes a -2 penalty to every attack until the start of his next turn.
If the ranger instead wields a ranged weapon, he gains a bonus to damage equal to one half his ranger level with each ranged attack.
Venom Immunity (Ex): At 15th level, a ranger gains immunity to all poisons.
Combat Style Grand Mastery (Ex): Once a ranger reaches 16th level, he gains his final style improvement.
As always, these benefits apply only when the ranger wears light or no armour, and any feats gained ignore the prerequisites for whether the ranger can use it.
Archery Style: Deadly Aim, granting him a +2 to the threat range with any bow he wields. This bonus stacks with, and is applied before any other critical threat modifiers, such as Keen or Improved Critical.
Two-Weapon Combat Style: Supreme Two-Weapon Fighting, which grants the ranger a 4th attack with his off-hand, at a -15 penalty, during a full attack.
Companion Combat Style: The ranger gains Shield Other as a supernatural ability that he and his animal companion can both cast, but only with regard to each other. This ability can be used at will.
Sword and Board Style: Improved Agile Shield Fighter, which negates the penalty to attack rolls when shield bashing with your off-hand during a full attack, and gives a second shield bash attack during a full attack, albeit at a -5 penalty.
Monster Hunter Style: Overhead Thrust feat.
Beast Wrestling Style: Ki Blast feat.
Mounted Combat Style: The ranger's animal companion gains the Warbeast template (MM 2 p. 219). If the ranger loses his animal companion or changes it, any new animal companion he gains automatically has the template.
Piscator Style: Weapon Specialization feat. If the ranger does not have Weapon Focus, he can still pick a weapon to apply Weapon Specialization to.
Strong Arm Style: Favoured Power Attack feat.
Throwing Style: Improved Precise Shot feat.
Stalker Style: Eagle Eye, an ability which doubles the range at which the ranger can deliver precision attacks, such as his Sneak Attack. His Sneak Attack also improves again, to +4d6.
Improved Evasion (Ex): Also upon reaching level 16, a ranger's evasion improves. He now only takes half damage if he fails a Reflex save when an attack allows a Reflex save for half damage. If the ranger cannot use Evasion, he cannot use Improved Evasion either.
Ultimate Tracker (Ex): At 17th level, a ranger's tracking skills become unsurpassed. He no longer suffers any penalties to tracking due to speed, and can track even while running. He also now can track anything that is under a spell or effect that makes them untrackable, such as Trackless Step or
Pass Without Trace, though those effects still apply a +10 to the DC to be tracked.
Block Nature's Lure (Ex): A ranger of 18th level gains the ability to fully shield his mind from unnatural influence. From now on, he is immune to all mind-affecting spells and abilities.
Free Movement (Ex): At level 19, a ranger becomes capable of slipping free of any sort of bindings, grapples, and even confining magic easily. This ability duplicates the effects of a
Freedom of Movement spell, except that it is always active and is not magical in nature. The ranger loses the benefits of this ability if he wears armour heavier than light or carries a load heavier than light.
Hunter's Champion (Ex): Should a ranger achieve level 20, he reaches the pinnacle of his class. He gains a permanent +2 bonus to Dexterity and Constitution, and gains damage reduction similar to the fey, granting him DR 5/cold iron.
